Quansah Selected Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla. – Duke senior linebacker Koby Quansah is one of nine semifinalists for the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy, according to an announcement by the organization Thursday.

The award, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is presented annually to the Football Bowl Subdivision player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback, Danny Wuerffel, from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy has honored over 1,200 nominees since its inception in 2005.

Quansah continues a long line of Duke players that have been named a semifinalist or finalist for the trophy since 2009. Duke is tied with Notre Dame and Georgia for the most with five. Texas, Kentucky and Oklahoma follow closely with four, while Western Michigan has earned three.

"Once again this year demonstrates how many first-class young men are out there doing tremendous work in their communities," said Danny Wuerffel. "It was an extremely difficult job that we had narrowing the list down to only nine semifinalists. These men represent the best of the best."

As one of Duke's starting linebackers and team captains, Quansah has jumpstarted a solid senior campaign. The Manchester, Conn., native has 72 total tackles this year and 7.5 tackles for loss, which is tied for second on the team. He has also compiled 1.5 sacks for 10 yards.

Despite having foot surgery last year and thumb surgery earlier this season, Quansah has accumulated 174 tackles, 16.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, two caused fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and eight quarterback pressures in 43 career games.

Quansah is set to graduate from Duke a semester early with a degree in Psychology. He is also pursuing a certificate in markets and management and currently holds a 3.379 cumulate grade point average.

Away from the classroom, Quansah traveled to Antigua, Guatemala, with a group of Duke football teammates and staff members in May of 2018. While in Guatemala, the Blue Devil volunteers assembled seven smokeless stoves and helped construct the basis of a house for a small family.

Prior to the trip to Guatemala, Quansah took part in the Duke Football program's local Habitat for Humanity initiative, helping the organization with a building project in Durham throughout the summer.

Quansah has gone on trips with Team Tobati as well, which is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of disadvantaged youth in Tobati, Paraguay. During the spring of 2013 and 2016, he helped construct classrooms and schools, and aided the medical infrastructure for the region's poor.

Quansah didn't stop there as he most recently took part in the Leadership Enrichment and Development (L.E.A.D) program, geared toward taking the next step to becoming team leaders in the winter of 2019.

Lastly, Quansah twice served with the Duke program, mentoring freshmen student-athletes and helping them adjust to the college lifestyle as well as the demands of being a Division I student-athlete.

Voting for the Wuerffel Trophy is performed by a national selection committee that includes college football television and print media, industry notables, former head coaches and prior Wuerffel Trophy recipients.

Finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 18, 2019. The formal announcement of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy recipient is scheduled to be made on Dec. 10, 2019 at the National Football Foundation's festivities in New York City.

The 2019 Wuerffel Trophy winner will be invited to attend The Home Depot College Football Awards Red Carpet Show on ESPNU and ESPN3 on Dec. 12, 2019, airing at 6 p.m. EST/5 p.m. CST, featuring interviews with award winners and finalists as they approach The Home Depot College Football Awards Show, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

The presentation of the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 51st Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 7, 2020 in Fort Walton Beach.

For more information on the Wuerffel Trophy, visit www.wuerffeltrophy.org.

The 2019 Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalists (listed alphabetically):
Isaiah Sanders Air Force senior, quarterback
Derrick Brown Auburn senior, defensive line
Koby Quansah Duke senior, linebacker
Rodrigo Blankenship Georgia senior, kicker
Blake Ferguson LSU senior, long snapper
Teton Saltes New Mexico junior, offensive line
Sam Ehlinger Texas junior, quarterback
Braden Mann Texas A&M senior, punter
Jon Wassink Western Michigan senior, quarterback

Quansah Selected Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist

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Koby Quansah

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Quansah Selected Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist

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