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Quansah Selected to AFCA Good Works Team
9/12/2019 9:30:00 AM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke team captain and senior linebacker Koby Quansah has been named to the 2019 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team®.
Quansah is one of just 22 student-athletes and one honorary coach nationwide selected to this prestigious team. The group was narrowed down from a list of 137 nominees by an esteemed panel of judges, including Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN) and Tim Tebow (Florida, 2009 team). These players stood out for their leadership in local communities and overall commitment to giving back.
As one of Duke's starting linebackers, Quansah has already jumpstarted a solid senior campaign. The Manchester, Conn., native has 16 total tackles this year and 3.0 tackles for loss, which leads the Blue Devils' defense. He has also compiled one sack for six yards in Duke's opening two games.
Despite having foot surgery last year and thumb surgery earlier this season, Quansah has accumulated 118 tackles, 12.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, and seven quarterback pressures in 37 career games.
"Because being a student-athlete is about more than their performance on the field, we're honored to share the stories of these deserving young men who embody the 'good' in college athletics," President of Allstate's Western Territory John O'Donnell said. "At Allstate, we are inspired by their positive impact and we unite in this passion to serve local communities."
The team acts of service range from the founding of an organization that serves the homeless, to raising research funds for the rare disease community. Nearly all are involved in local youth mentorship initiatives, and the team has collectively volunteered thousands of hours to better the lives of those in their communities.
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.
Quansah is the 11th Duke player to earn the prestigious honor and eighth in the last nine years, joining Johnathan Lloyd (2018), Gabe Brandner (2017), DeVon Edwards (2016), Kelby Brown (2015), Laken Tomlinson (2014), Dave Harding (2013), Sean Renfree (2012), Bryan Morgan (2010), Re'quan Boyette (2008) and Zaid Abdul-Aleem (1994).
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be invited to the 2020 Allstate® Sugar Bowl® and will join Tebow and Allstate volunteers to give back to New Orleans through a special community service project. Allstate will recognize the team during the halftime show.
Fans are invited to visit ESPN.com/Allstate to vote for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain once per day, now through Nov. 22. The team captain will be honored at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN later this season.
About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992, by the College Football Association, to recognize extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate became the presenting sponsor starting with the 2008 season.
Since the recognition program began, the SEC leads all conferences with 75 athletes, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with 43, and the Big 12 Conference with 35. Georgia is in first place with 20 honorees, followed by Kentucky and Nebraska with 15. Super Bowl XLII, XLVI and XLI champion quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning were members of the 2002 and 1997 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams, respectively.
About the AFCA
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."
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
Koby Quansah Duke University
Denzel Goolsby Kansas State University
James Smith-Williams NC State University
Connor Wedington Stanford University
Isaiah Sanders U.S. Air Force Academy
Marcel Dancy University of California
Jake Fromm University of Georgia
Bryce Torneden University of Kansas
Landon Young University of Kentucky
Tre Tipton University of Pittsburgh
Spencer Eason-Riddle University of South Carolina
Combined Divisions (FCS, II, III & NAIA)
Danny Munoz Bethel University (Minn.)
George Hatalowich Davidson College
Ryan Landis Frostburg State University
Josh Pearson Jacksonville State University
Aaron Feazelle Mississippi College
Jacob Katzer Morningside College
Ben Ellefson North Dakota State University
Ben Bartch Saint John's University (Minn.)
Dante Olson University of Montana
Ryan Oliver Utica College (NY)
Luke Bevilacqua Wayne State University (Mich.)
Honorary Head Coach
Dabo Swinney Clemson University
#GoDuke
Quansah is one of just 22 student-athletes and one honorary coach nationwide selected to this prestigious team. The group was narrowed down from a list of 137 nominees by an esteemed panel of judges, including Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN) and Tim Tebow (Florida, 2009 team). These players stood out for their leadership in local communities and overall commitment to giving back.
As one of Duke's starting linebackers, Quansah has already jumpstarted a solid senior campaign. The Manchester, Conn., native has 16 total tackles this year and 3.0 tackles for loss, which leads the Blue Devils' defense. He has also compiled one sack for six yards in Duke's opening two games.
Despite having foot surgery last year and thumb surgery earlier this season, Quansah has accumulated 118 tackles, 12.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks, two caused fumbles, one fumble recovery, and seven quarterback pressures in 37 career games.
"Because being a student-athlete is about more than their performance on the field, we're honored to share the stories of these deserving young men who embody the 'good' in college athletics," President of Allstate's Western Territory John O'Donnell said. "At Allstate, we are inspired by their positive impact and we unite in this passion to serve local communities."
The team acts of service range from the founding of an organization that serves the homeless, to raising research funds for the rare disease community. Nearly all are involved in local youth mentorship initiatives, and the team has collectively volunteered thousands of hours to better the lives of those in their communities.
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.
Quansah is the 11th Duke player to earn the prestigious honor and eighth in the last nine years, joining Johnathan Lloyd (2018), Gabe Brandner (2017), DeVon Edwards (2016), Kelby Brown (2015), Laken Tomlinson (2014), Dave Harding (2013), Sean Renfree (2012), Bryan Morgan (2010), Re'quan Boyette (2008) and Zaid Abdul-Aleem (1994).
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be invited to the 2020 Allstate® Sugar Bowl® and will join Tebow and Allstate volunteers to give back to New Orleans through a special community service project. Allstate will recognize the team during the halftime show.
Fans are invited to visit ESPN.com/Allstate to vote for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain once per day, now through Nov. 22. The team captain will be honored at The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN later this season.
About the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992, by the College Football Association, to recognize extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate became the presenting sponsor starting with the 2008 season.
Since the recognition program began, the SEC leads all conferences with 75 athletes, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference with 43, and the Big 12 Conference with 35. Georgia is in first place with 20 honorees, followed by Kentucky and Nebraska with 15. Super Bowl XLII, XLVI and XLI champion quarterbacks Eli and Peyton Manning were members of the 2002 and 1997 Allstate AFCA Good Works Teams, respectively.
About the AFCA
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."
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
Koby Quansah Duke University
Denzel Goolsby Kansas State University
James Smith-Williams NC State University
Connor Wedington Stanford University
Isaiah Sanders U.S. Air Force Academy
Marcel Dancy University of California
Jake Fromm University of Georgia
Bryce Torneden University of Kansas
Landon Young University of Kentucky
Tre Tipton University of Pittsburgh
Spencer Eason-Riddle University of South Carolina
Combined Divisions (FCS, II, III & NAIA)
Danny Munoz Bethel University (Minn.)
George Hatalowich Davidson College
Ryan Landis Frostburg State University
Josh Pearson Jacksonville State University
Aaron Feazelle Mississippi College
Jacob Katzer Morningside College
Ben Ellefson North Dakota State University
Ben Bartch Saint John's University (Minn.)
Dante Olson University of Montana
Ryan Oliver Utica College (NY)
Luke Bevilacqua Wayne State University (Mich.)
Honorary Head Coach
Dabo Swinney Clemson University
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
Coach Diaz Media Availability: Syracuse
Wednesday, September 24
Cooper Barkate Media Availability: Syracuse
Tuesday, September 23
DaShawn Stone Media Availability: Syracuse
Tuesday, September 23
Coach Patke Press Conference: Syracuse
Monday, September 22
