Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg football standout Reed Florence, class of 2014 from South Charleston, Ohio, has been recognized for his fine work both on and off the field by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He was one of 117 student-athletes from across the country nominated for the 2012 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was created to publicize the stories of skilled student-athletes making just as significant an impact upon their communities. A voting panel consisting of former Good Works Team members and prominent college football media members will select two 11-player Good Works Teams – one comprised of players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and another representing players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA – to be announced in September.

Florence was nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team in recognition of his efforts to support the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. A participant in the annual event since he was a high school junior, Florence has taken a leadership role since arriving at Wittenberg, leading a group of student-athletes in raising a significant amount of money to be put toward cancer research in both 2011 and 2012.

Through Wittenberg's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Florence also recently joined in the national Division III effort to collaborate with the Special Olympics. He met with local Special Olympians weekly through the spring, teaching them how to properly lift weights and encouraging them as they worked toward their personal goals and prepared for a state competition.

In addition, Florence is a counselor at Wittenberg's annual football and basketball camps, and he also has donated his time to other youth camps in the area.

On the field, Florence appeared in nine games in 2011 while backing up two-time North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Offensive Player of the Year Ben Zoeller, class of 2012 from Louisville, Ky., at quarterback. Florence completed 15-of-27 passes for 141 yards and seven touchdowns, and he ranked third on the team with 161 rushing yards on 32 carries. He led the Tigers with seven rushing touchdowns, including a long of 50 yards against Allegheny on Sept. 24.

The Tigers finished the 2011 season with records of 8-2 overall and 5-1 in the NCAC, good for second place. The 2012 season opens with a road trip to Capital University on Sept. 1.

Written By: Ryan Maurer

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