NORTHBROOK, Ill. --- On Tuesday morning, the Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team Community Champions were announced.
Kyante Christian of the Hardrocker football team was one of just 38 non-Division I student-athletes announced as a nominee and 114 total across all NCAA levels in addition to NAIA.
Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team is one of the most coveted community service awards in college football. From the 114 nominees, the final roster of 23 award recipients will bring together 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision; 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA); and one honorary head coach. To be considered for a spot on the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining strong academic standing.
Christian has co-founded and is the president of the Hardrocker Ally Association on the South Dakota Mines campus. This organization focuses on charitable work, understanding and coming together with people of all backgrounds and cultures, community outreach as well as conversations with community, and campus in addition to a partnership with the Rapid City police department.
"These players embody the best of what college football stands for: character, selflessness and the willingness to serve and give to others," AFCA Executive Director Todd Berry said. "The AFCA proudly stands alongside Allstate and each of these players' families and communities to applaud their inspirational work off the field."
The AFCA press release is attached above.
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.
About the American Football Coaches Association
The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 11,000 members around the world ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to "maintain the highest possible standards in football and in the coaching profession" and to "provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football."
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.
