ROSLYN, Pa. Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski announced the 2006 Semifinalists for the 70th Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year, the 12th Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year, and the 18th George Munger Award for College Coach of the Year. The respective lists include a field of 15 candidates for each of these awards as selected by the Maxwell Football Club Advisory Committee.
Rutgers sophomore running back
Ray Rice (New Rochelle, N.Y.) was just one of two sophomores named to the semifinal list for the Maxwell Award. Rice is second in the NCAA in rushing (1,124 yards) and has 12 touchdowns in 2006. The sophomore standout and Heisman Trophy candidate has three 200-yard games in 2006 and has been named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week three times this season.
Rutgers head coach
Greg Schiano was named a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award. Schiano has guided Rutgers to its first appearance in the national rankings in 30 years. The Scarlet Knights, ranked 16
th in the Harris Poll, Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/Coaches Top 25, are also 14
th in the latest BCS Standings.
Rutgers is 7-0 for the first time since 1976 and 2-0 in the BIG EAST for the first time in the program's history.
The announcement of the winners of the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be made during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006. Three finalists for each award will be in attendance for the ESPN broadcast. The Maxwell Football Club will announce the winner of the 18
th George Munger Award via a press release in December. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club's Awards Dinner, to be held on Friday March 2, 2007 at the Harrah's Entertainment Complex in
Atlantic City, N.J.
Voting for all three of the collegiate awards presented by the Maxwell Football Club will begin on Wednesday November 3 and close on Friday December 1.
