Springfield, Ohio – For the second straight year, Wittenberg football quarterback Reed Florence (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) has been recognized for his fine work both on and off the field by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). He was one of 151 student-athletes from across the country nominated for the 2013 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 charitable and community service activities, including 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 each of the last three years.
Through Wittenberg’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Florence has joined in the national Division III effort to collaborate with the Special Olympics. Each of the last two years, he regularly met with local Special Olympians, teaching them how to properly lift weights and encouraging them as they work toward their personal goals and prepare for a state competition.
In addition, Florence spent a Saturday morning in April working at a Habitat for Humanity work site in Springfield, and he has taken a personal interest in the life of a young child from nearby Piqua, Ohio, who is battling cancer. Florence has been involved in efforts to raising money for the child’s health care expenses.
On the field, Florence was sensational in his first season as the Tigers’ starter under center. He threw for 2,819 yards and ran for another 485 in 2012, accounting for a combined 35 touchdowns, running his career totals to 35 passing scores and 14 rushing scores in his collegiate career. Florence earned second-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) honors following the 2012 season.
The Tigers finished 2012 with records of 10-2 overall and 6-1 in the NCAC, good for a three-way tie for first place. Wittenberg advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament before losing in the Round of 16 to Hobart College. The 2013 season opens with a road trip to Butler University on Saturday, Sept. 7.
Written By: Ryan Maurer