ATLANTA, Ga. (August 3, 2023) – Washington State kicker Dean Janikowski was named to The 2023 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, the Wuerffel Foundation announced Thursday.
 
The Wuerffel Foundation, a 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.
 
On the field Janikowski, a redshirt-junior from Fallbrook, Calif. and a 2021 First-Team All-Pac-12 selection, connected on 11-of-14 on field goal attempts last season with long of 50, while going 40-of-41 on PATs in 2022. Janikowski recorded 73 points, fifth-most among Pac-12 Conference kickers last season. Off the field last season, Janikowski started a Pledge call "More than a Kick" where donations were made for each field goal and PAT by Janikowski and the donations went to children with cancer and helped others battling cancer in the Pullman community. Janikowski later started the Heather Janikowski Foundation and started another event called "Kicking with Cancer" with an annual goal of raising $30,000 to support the Seattle Children's Hospital Can Research Center.
 
"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.
 
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.