Hafner Named 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Valparaiso University football redshirt senior defensive lineman Sam Hafner (Green Bay, Wis. / De Pere) has been nominated for the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, as announced by the organization on Wednesday.
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football athletes for their unwavering commitment to community service and their “good works” off the field. This year’s 178 nominees champion causes including mental health awareness, youth mentorship, hunger relief, domestic abuse prevention and many more. In addition to being actively involved with a charitable organization or service group, each player must also maintain strong academic standing to be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
A final roster of 23 award recipients including 11 FBS players, 11 FCS players and one head coach will be announced in September. All members are selected by a voting panel of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team members, current and former head coaches and journalists who look for exceptional leadership on and off the football field.
Hafner, who owns a 3.78 cumulative grade point average in biology/chemistry, started all 11 games on Valpo’s defensive line last season en route to All-Pioneer Football League First Team honors. He also garnered Phil Steele All-PFL First Team, the team’s Defensive Player of the Year award and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. In 2022, he earned Academic All-PFL First Team, All-PFL Second Team, CSC Academic All-District and Phil Steele All-PFL Third Team.
A 2023 team captain, Hafner is the community service leader for the Valpo football defense. He helps organize volunteer hours and keeps track of them for the team. He works summer football camp, participates in a Boys & Girls Club holiday event every December and is involved in the team’s Polar Plunge to raise money for special Olympics.
The 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominees are:
Football Bowl Subdivision (D-I)
|
Name |
School |
|
Anderson Castle |
Appalachian State University |
|
Leif Fautanu |
Arizona State University |
|
Justin Parks |
Arkansas State University |
|
Andre Miller |
Army West Point |
|
Luke Deal |
Auburn University |
|
Kyler Jordan |
Baylor University |
|
Alexander Teubner |
Boise State University |
|
Donovan Ezeiruaku |
Boston College |
|
Jordan Oladokun |
Bowling Green State University |
|
Connor Pay |
BYU |
|
Dominic Serapiglia |
Central Michigan University |
|
Bryce Kennon |
Charlotte |
|
Barrett Carter |
Clemson University |
|
Elijah Morris |
East Carolina University |
|
David Carter Jr. |
Eastern Michigan University |
|
Jacob Merrifield |
Florida Atlantic University |
|
Maurice Smith |
Florida State University |
|
Dean Clark |
Fresno State |
|
David Dallas |
Georgia Southern University |
|
Clayton Powell-Lee |
Georgia Tech |
|
James Bomba |
Indiana University |
|
Beau Freyler |
Iowa State University |
|
Jacob Dobbs |
James Madison University |
|
Austin Moore |
Kansas State University |
|
Cam Golden |
Kent State University |
|
Quinton Cooley |
Liberty University |
|
Zach Zimos |
Louisiana Tech University |
|
Will Campbell |
LSU |
|
Logan Osburn |
Marshall University |
|
Nathan Carter |
Michigan State University |
|
Nicholas Vattiato |
Middle Tennessee State University |
|
Nick Barr-Mira |
Mississippi State University |
|
Brandon Cleveland |
NC State University |
|
Allen Ortiz |
New Mexico State University |
|
Cade Haberman |
Northern Illinois University |
|
Xander Mueller |
Northwestern University |
|
Seth McLaughlin |
Ohio State University |
|
Alan Bowman |
Oklahoma State University |
|
Stephon Dubose-Bourne |
Old Dominion University |
|
JJ Pegues |
Ole Miss |
|
Josh Green |
Oregon State University |
|
Nick Dawkins |
Penn State University |
|
Gus Hartwig |
Purdue University |
|
Dean Connors |
Rice University |
|
Mekhi Shaw |
San Diego State University |
|
Jalen Apalit-Williams |
San Jose State University |
|
Jonathan McGill |
SMU |
|
Tristan Sinclair |
Stanford University |
|
Justin Barron |
Syracuse University |
|
NaNa Osafo-Mensah |
TCU |
|
Andrew McIlquham |
Temple University |
|
Albert Regis |
Texas A&M University |
|
Tahj Brooks |
Texas Tech University |
|
Peyton Higgins |
Troy University |
|
Patrick Jenkins |
Tulane University |
|
Zaire Flournoy |
UAB |
|
William Wells |
UCF |
|
Chase Griffin |
UCLA |
|
Valentin Senn |
UConn |
|
Taji Johnson |
University at Buffalo |
|
Tim Keenan III |
University of Alabama |
|
Noah Fifita |
University of Arizona |
|
Cam Ball |
University of Arkansas |
|
Jaydn Ott |
University of California |
|
Luke Kandra |
University of Cincinnati |
|
Shane Cokes |
University of Colorado |
|
Graham Mertz |
University of Florida |
|
Malaki Starks |
University of Georgia |
|
Brayden Schager |
University of Hawai’i |
|
Kenenna Odeluga |
University of Illinois |
|
Jay Higgins |
University of Iowa |
|
Jared Casey |
University of Kansas |
|
J.J. Weaver |
University of Kentucky |
|
K.C. Ossai |
University of Louisiana |
|
Ashton Gillotte |
University of Louisville |
|
Dante Trader Jr. |
University of Maryland |
|
An’Darius Coffey |
University of Memphis |
|
Jaden Harris |
University of Miami |
|
Davis Warren |
University of Michigan |
|
Mark Crawford |
University of Minnesota |
|
Kristian Williams |
University of Missouri |
|
Isaac Gifford |
University of Nebraska |
|
Patrick Garwo III |
University of Nevada |
|
Caleb Medford |
University of New Mexico |
|
Kaimon Rucker |
University of North Carolina |
|
Jett Duncan |
University of North Texas |
|
Jack Kiser |
University of Notre Dame |
|
Gavin Sawchuk |
University of Oklahoma |
|
Matthew Bedford |
University of Oregon |
|
Brandon George |
University of Pittsburgh |
|
Jaden Voisin |
University of South Alabama |
|
Alex Huntley |
University of South Carolina |
|
Immanuel Hickman |
University of South Florida |
|
Zachariah Branch |
University of Southern California |
|
Bru McCoy |
University of Tennessee |
|
Hayden Conner |
University of Texas |
|
Michael Denning |
University of Toledo |
|
Tao Johnson |
University of Utah |
|
Will Bettridge |
University of Virginia |
|
Hunter Wohler |
University of Wisconsin |
|
Will Pelissier |
University of Wyoming |
|
Jackson Woodard |
UNLV |
|
Jacob Garcia |
Utah State University |
|
De’Corian “JT” Clark |
UTSA |
|
Richie Hoskins |
Vanderbilt University |
|
Jaylin Lane |
Virginia Tech |
|
Justin Cody |
Wake Forest University |
|
Dean Janikowski |
Washington State University |
|
Garrett Greene |
West Virginia University |
|
Dalvin Smith |
Western Kentucky University |
|
Boone Bonnema |
Western Michigan University |
Combined Divisions (FCS, D-II, D-III & NAIA)
|
Name |
School |
|
Isaiah Knowles |
Albany State University |
|
Dru Johnson |
Ashland University |
|
Chandler Kirton |
Austin Peay State University |
|
Gavin Thorpe |
Beloit College |
|
Javhi Blomquist |
Benedictine College |
|
Aaron Ellingson |
Bethel University (Minn.) |
|
Robert Coury |
Carnegie Mellon University |
|
Major Williams |
Carson-Newman University |
|
Bryce Lowe |
Carthage College |
|
Logan Mont |
Central College |
|
Tanner Volk |
Central Washington University |
|
Christo Kelly |
College of the Holy Cross |
|
Maxwell Van Fleet |
Cornell University |
|
Braxton Lacher |
Dakota State University |
|
Micah Green |
Dartmouth College |
|
Julian Rawlins |
Davidson College |
|
John Siggins |
East Stroudsburg University |
|
Caleb Curtain |
Elon University |
|
Ethan Kowalski |
Hobart College |
|
Gerald Comedy |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
|
Clayton Mosher |
Indiana Wesleyan University |
|
Matt Wrather |
John Carroll University |
|
Thomas Grehan |
Johns Hopkins University |
|
Nick Jackson |
Marist College |
|
Tommy Mellott |
Montana State University |
|
Isaac Pingel |
Morningside University |
|
Henry Daniel |
North Carolina A&T State University |
|
Cam Miller |
North Dakota State University |
|
Josh Hurst |
Ohio Wesleyan University |
|
Gavin Davis-Smith |
Sacramento State |
|
Jake Schwinghammer |
Saint John’s University |
|
DJ Brown |
Southeastern Oklahoma State University |
|
Hunter Hayes |
Springfield College |
|
Matt DeVirgilio |
Stonehill College |
|
Evan Salvaggio |
SUNY Morrisville |
|
Sebestyen Balassy |
The College of Wooster |
|
Will Duncanson |
Tufts University |
|
Matthew Palazzo |
Tusculum University |
|
Quinterrius Tanksley |
Union Commonwealth University |
|
Ryan Williams |
University of Arkansas at Monticello |
|
David Walker |
University of Central Arkansas |
|
Brock Gingrich |
University of Delaware |
|
Sam Weihrauch |
University of Findlay |
|
Curtis Cox |
University of Minnesota Duluth |
|
Tyler Echeverry |
University of Mount Union |
|
Jaden Norby |
University of North Dakota |
|
Wayne Galloway |
University of Richmond |
|
Daniel McLaurin |
University of St. Francis (IL) |
|
Jacob Wildermuth |
University of St. Thomas |
|
Sam Hafner |
Valparaiso University |
|
Charles Wesley |
Wayne State University |
|
Brice Butler |
Westminster College |
|
Charles Grant |
William & Mary |
|
Liam Bryant |
William Penn University |
|
Justin Fleming |
Winston-Salem State University |
|
Mason Shipp |
Yale University |
Head Coach
|
Name |
School |
|
Jeff Monken |
Army West Point |
|
Josh Anderson |
Dakota State University |
|
Paul Tortorella |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
|
Dave Doeren |
NC State University |
|
Vincent Brown |
North Carolina A&T State University |
|
Gary Fasching |
Saint John’s University |
|
Fran Brown |
Syracuse University |
|
Willie Fritz |
University of Houston |
|
Bret Bielema |
University of Illinois |
|
Lance Leipold |
University of Kansas |
|
Marcus Freeman |
University of Notre Dame |
About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate worked to present the award starting with the 2008 season.
