University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond's Grayson Named To 2009 Allstate Good Works Team
Sept. 22, 2009
NORTHBROOK, Ill. - University of Richmond junior wide receiver Kevin Grayson has been named to the 2009 Allstate Good Works Team®, which is presented annually by the American Football Coaches Association in conjunction with Allstate. Grayson is one of 22 players from all divisions of college football to earn the honor.
The Good Works Team®, which also includes Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, honors dedicated and hard-working student-athletes for their off-the-field achievements and selfless contributions to their communities. The winners will be officially recognized on field at halftime of the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl at the Superdome in New Orleans, La.
"These 22 student-athletes represent thousands of college football players who make a difference in their communities through volunteer service on campus and in their hometowns," said AFCA Executive Director Grant Teaff. "We're proud to join Allstate in recognizing these young people who are dedicated to improving the world in which we live."
Allstate assembled a high-profile voting panel made up of previous Good Works Team members, including former University of Georgia lineman Matt Stinchcomb and former Tulane University running back Mewelde Moore, as well as prominent college football media personalities, including ESPN's Lou Holtz and Kirk Herbstreit and CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd, to elect this year's team. Also a part of the selection committee are current AFCA president and San Jose State University head coach Dick Tomey, 1996 AFCA president and former head coach at the United States Air Force Academy Fisher DeBerry, and Allstate vice president Guy Hill.
Grayson, a Richmond native and graduate of L.C. Bird High School, is a two-time All-CAA Football performer and boasts a resume that offers several examples of the positive impact he has had on his community.
Most notably, Grayson spent last season serving as a mentor for a local sixth-grade student from Tuckahoe Middle School. Additionally, he and his Spider teammates are annual volunteers at the Special Olympics Virginia Summer Games, he participated in the NCAA's National Leadership Conference this past July, he has served as a volunteer track coach at a local middle school and also volunteers his time for the Hopewell-Prince George Healthy Family.
Along with his off-campus work, the 2007 CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year was voted a UR class senator, works for the school's Bridge to Success program and hosts a number of forums and discussions on campus regarding diversity and inclusion. Grayson also competes for the Spiders' outdoor track & field team.
With 1,907 yards receiving, the junior stands seventh on the Spiders' all-time list. He's caught 11 touchdowns in his career. As a sophomore, Grayson and the Spiders captured the 2008 Division I Football National Championship - the first NCAA championship in school history. Richmond is off to a 3-0 start in 2009, is ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision and its 12-game winning streak is a school record and the longest in the FCS.
In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and AFCA, each player must be actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing. Candidates must also display sincere concern and reliability, while also having made a favorable impression on the organizations with which they are involved. Neither athletic ability nor on-the-field achievements are among the selection criteria.
A record 106 players were nominated this summer for this prestigious honor by sports information directors on behalf of their teams, surpassing all previous single-season nominee totals since the program began in 1992.