Florida Tech DB Manny Abad Nominated For 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
By Florida Tech // July 17, 2015
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – For the second consecutive year, Florida Tech defensive back Manny Abad has been listed as a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, college football’s preeminent community service award which recognizes student-athletes for off the field achievements.
Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) announced an all-time high of 197 nominees, submitted by sports information directors on behalf of their institutions.
Since its establishment in 1992, the award recognizes student-athletes who have balanced academics, athletics and committed their free time to giving back.
Abad was the Gulf South Conference’s leader in pass breakups in 2014 with nine. The Cuban native also tied for fourth in the conference in interceptions with three, giving him a total of 12 passes defended, most in the GSC. In total, the then redshirt sophomore tallied 36 tackles, including 21 solo stops, and also recovered a fumble.
Following the season, he was bestowed with All-GSC and All-Super Region 2 honors.
Additionally, Abad was named FIT’s first-ever CoSIDA Academic All-District selection.
Abad, a redshirt junior, is one of three nominees from the GSC, being joined by Mississippi College’s Seth McDonald and Lee Mayhall of North Alabama.
He is among 120 nominees in the award’s combined divisions category, which includes student-athletes from the Football Championship Subdivision, NCAA Division II, Division III and the NAIA.
Over the course of the past three years Abad has volunteered over 92 hours in the community. Most of his time has been spent as a mentor at nearby University Park Elementary School, helping children with homework, reading and talking to them about the importance of education.
Along with his teammates, he has also put on camps for children at The Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
The South Plantation High School product has led the team in community service hours in each year of his Panther career.
Abad was one of 17 Panthers named to the GSC Commissioner’s Fall Honor Roll in February. At the time, he held the highest grade point average on the team. He will enter his senior year academically this fall with a 3.79 GPA as an accounting major. Abad is primed for a big year on the field, entering the season as a USA College Football Second Team Preseason All-American.
Comprised of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA, the final roster of 22 award recipients will be unveiled in September.
From the nominees submitted by sports information directors across the nation on behalf of their schools, a special voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members will select the 2015 Good Works Team.®
The 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® voting panel includes: former Good Works Team® members Zaid Abdul-Aleem (Duke, 1994 team), Matt Stinchcomb (Georgia, 1997, 1998 teams), Brian Brenberg (St. Thomas, 2001 team), Mike Proman (Amherst, 2002 team); media members Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN), Bruce Feldman (Fox Sports), Blair Kerkhoff (Kansas City Star); current AFCA President and University of Cincinnati head coach Tommy Tuberville; 1987 AFCA President and former head coach at Brigham Young University LaVell Edwards; and Jim Haskins, Executive Vice President, Allstate Brand Distribution.
Once the final team members are announced in September, fans are encouraged to visit the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® website on ESPN.com, featuring profiles and images of the players, for the opportunity to vote for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® Captain.
In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and the AFCA, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.
Season tickets for the 2015 season are available.
Premium season tickets are only $70 for adults and $45 for FIT employees with ID, seniors ages 65 and above and children ages 5-16.
General admission season tickets are $50 for adults and $30 for FIT employees, seniors and children.
Season tickets can be purchased at FloridaTechSports.com, in-person by appointment at the Clemente Center Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by calling the FIT Ticket Office at 321-674-6228.
For questions on tickets, please call the ticket office at the number listed above or e-mail AthleticsTickets@fit.edu.
