Wittenberg Football Standout Tristan Murray
Named Semifinalist For Prestigious Draddy Trophy

Tristan Murray scores a touchdown against the University of Dayton.

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – Wittenberg University football standout Tristan Murray, class of 2006 from New Carlisle, Ohio, is more than just the seventh-leading rusher in all of NCAA Division III.

He is an outstanding student and a community member who contributes more than touchdowns and textbooks. In recognition of that fact, Murray has been selected as one of 148 semifinalists for the prestigious Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth, an award presented annually by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF).

The Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership. As a semifinalist for the Draddy, Murray also automatically becomes a candidate for the NFF 2006 National Scholar-Athlete Awards.

Murray is enjoying a third straight record-setting season in the Red & White after transferring to Wittenberg from Brown University in December 2003. A management major who earned his degree in May 2006 and is taking classes during the fall semester while taking advantage of a medical red-shirt season, Murray has topped 100 yards five straight weeks – bringing him within one of the school record of six in a row by Aaron Powers in 1996 – a year after equalling the school record of eight 100-yard games in a season. He has 812 of the team’s 1129 rushing yards this year, including a season-high 191 yards on 24 carries against Alma, and he has accounted for a whopping 49 percent of the Tigers’ total offensive yards from scrimmage.

Murray, who has 20 games with 100 yards rushing in 26 career appearances at Wittenberg, stands fourth in school history with 3,376 career rushing yards and third in scoring with 270 total points. He was the 2004 North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year and has been named first-team all-conference each of the last two seasons.

The NFF Awards Committee, comprised of former coaches, Hall of Famers and college administrators, will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 26. The winner, also selected by the committee, will be announced at the 49th NFF Awards Dinner on December 5 at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City. Each finalist will also be recognized that night as part of the 2006 National Scholar-Athlete Class, receiving an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. Click here to read the NFF news release.