PHILADELPHIA - Washington State defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa was one of ten players added to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced Wednesday.
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented each year as the College Defensive Player of the Year Award in honor of Chuck Bednarik, a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer. The original watch list was comprised of players who were selected based on their performances during the 2015 season. As the 2016 season has progressed, the Club believes that several additional players warrant attention because of their noteworthy play.
Mata'afa enters the week leading the Pac-12 Conference with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and is tied for No. 13 with a team-best three sacks. The redshirt-sophomore from Lahaina, Hawaii is fourth on the team with 24 total tackles has recorded a tackle-for-loss in five of the six games this season including 3.5 in the win over Oregon. Mata'afa was named a USA Today Sports Freshman All-America First Team selection last season after tying of the team lead with seven sacks and tied for third on the team with 11 tackles-for-loss.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced on October 31st and three finalists for each award will be announced November 21st. The winners of the 2016 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be held on December 8th at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.
The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club's Selection Committee and the Maxwell Club reserves the right to make additions and subtractions to these lists as the 2016 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA Sports Information Directors, Head Coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for these awards.
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented each year as the College Defensive Player of the Year Award in honor of Chuck Bednarik, a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer. The original watch list was comprised of players who were selected based on their performances during the 2015 season. As the 2016 season has progressed, the Club believes that several additional players warrant attention because of their noteworthy play.
Mata'afa enters the week leading the Pac-12 Conference with 9.5 tackles-for-loss and is tied for No. 13 with a team-best three sacks. The redshirt-sophomore from Lahaina, Hawaii is fourth on the team with 24 total tackles has recorded a tackle-for-loss in five of the six games this season including 3.5 in the win over Oregon. Mata'afa was named a USA Today Sports Freshman All-America First Team selection last season after tying of the team lead with seven sacks and tied for third on the team with 11 tackles-for-loss.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced on October 31st and three finalists for each award will be announced November 21st. The winners of the 2016 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be held on December 8th at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.
The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club's Selection Committee and the Maxwell Club reserves the right to make additions and subtractions to these lists as the 2016 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA Sports Information Directors, Head Coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for these awards.