Organizers for the Wuerffel Trophy announced today that running back Will Shipley has been named as one of 110 members on the 2023 watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, presented annually in recognition of community service.
In addition to being a frequent community servant in the Upstate through Clemson’s P.A.W. Journey initiative, Shipley has donated both time and money to Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. Last year, he and former Clemson defensive end K.J. Henry also donated five figures to create the 1 CLEM5ON endowment to benefit Clemson University’s Harvey and Lucinda Gantt Multicultural Center and Clemson Athletics’ “Hear Her Roar” campaign.
Additional information from award organizers is included below. Visit the 2023 Preseason Honors hub for more preseason accolades garnered by Clemson.
Atlanta, GA – August 3, 2023 – The Wuerffel Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to inspire greater service and unity in our communities, today announced The Wuerffel Trophy watch list for the 2023 season, consisting of 110 players from college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service, and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports, The Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. The Wuerffel Trophy embodies Danny’s commitment to being a humanitarian, while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society.
“The life changing impact of thinking of others before ourselves is so rewarding, and it’s truly inspiring to see so many student-athletes recognize this, and use their platform for good,” said Danny Wuerffel. “College Football players across the country are making a difference in their communities, and I’m excited to see so many incredible stories associated with the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy candidates.”
Nominations for the Wuerffel Trophy are made by the respective universities’ Sports Information Departments and will close on October 16. An up-to-date list of nominees can be found at wuerffeltrophy.org. Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 2nd, and finalists will be announced on November 28th. The formal announcement of the 2023 recipient is scheduled to be made on December 7th or 8th during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN, and the presentation of the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy will take place on February 17, 2024, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA.
Offensive lineman Dillan Gibbons of Florida State University was the 2022 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy. Like Gibbons, the 2023 recipient will be invited to join Wuerffel in New York City to attend the Heisman Trophy ceremonies, including the press conference, televised announcement show, and the gala.
Past recipients of the Wuerffel Trophy include Rudy Niswanger – LSU – 2005; Joel Penton – Ohio State – 2006; Paul Smith – Tulsa – 2007; Tim Tebow – Florida – 2008; Tim Hiller – Western Michigan – 2009; Sam Acho – Texas – 2010; Barrett Jones – Alabama – 2011; Matt Barkley – USC – 2012; Gabe Ikard – Oklahoma – 2013; Deterrian Shackelford – Ole Miss – 2014; Ty Darlington – Oklahoma – 2015; Trevor Knight – Texas A&M – 2016; Courtney Love – Kentucky – 2017; Drue Tranquill – Notre Dame – 2018; Jon Wassink – Western Michigan – 2019; Teton Saltes – New Mexico – 2020; Isaiah Sanders – Stanford– 2021 and Dillan Gibbons – Florida State – 2022.
The Wuerffel Trophy is supported by its corporate partners Dart Container Corporation/Solo Cup and Herff Jones.
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List (PDF)
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ABOUT THE WUERFFEL TROPHY
Established in 2005, the Wuerffel Trophy honors college football players who serve others, celebrates their impact, and inspires greater service across the nation. A member of the National College Football Awards Association, the Wuerffel Trophy is presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field. It is the first major award honoring the character of service to others.
The Wuerffel Trophy is named after Heisman Trophy winner, College Football Hall of Famer, former NFL quarterback, and renowned humanitarian Danny Wuerffel, whose life mission is to inspire greater service in the world. Wuerffel led the University of Florida to four SEC Championships and the Gators’ first National Football Championship as the team’s star quarterback. The 1996 Heisman Trophy winner set 17 NCAA and Florida records and won a myriad of other awards including the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, and The William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the nation’s top scholar-athlete. As a nationally recognized humanitarian, Wuerffel inspires leaders to use their influence to make a positive impact and currently serves as President of the Wuerffel Foundation.
ABOUT THE NCFAA
The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football’s most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2023 preseason watch list calendar:
Fri., Aug. 4: Mackey Award/Rimington TrophyMon., Aug. 7: Biletnikoff AwardTue., Aug. 8: Davey O’Brien AwardWed., Aug. 9: Doak Walker AwardThu., Aug. 10: Butkus Award/Paycom Jim Thorpe AwardFri., Aug. 11: Walter Camp AwardMon., Aug. 14: Bednarik Award
For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on X/Twitter at @NCFAA.
