Tag Archives: Maxwell Football Club

Mar 2 2013

This is Penn State – Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Day


Becky Mayes

Less than a week after THON raised over 12 million dollars, at the Penn State men’s basketball game against Michigan, the Nittany Lions Uplifting Athletes Chapter held a push-up challenge. The goal: invite students and fans to collectively complete 7,000 push-ups in honor of the 7,000 rare diseases that currently affect more than 30 million Americans.

In honor of Rare Disease Day, the Penn State Chapter not only broke the 7,000 push-up mark before the end of the first quarter, but also released the date of their 11th Annual Lift For Life — Friday, July 12th. The evening ended in perfect fashion for this first-year campaign. The Lion’s basketball team upset 4th ranked Michigan for its first Big Ten conference win.

The Penn State Chapter’s efforts highlight what our current 14 Chapters do every day in the fight against rare diseases. Through their hard work, more than a million dollars has been raised for rare disease research. The increased awareness surrounding an underserved population has also been monumental.

Tomorrow, Mark Herzlich and Uplifting Athletes will be presenting the 2013 Rare Disease Champion award to Eric Shrive at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Dinner in Atlantic City. This event will be aired live on ESPN 3 and begins at 6:30pm so make sure to tune-in.

The following day in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Uplifting Athletes will hold its annual Gridiron Gala – a black-tie optional, gourmet tailgate themed event in effort to white out rare diseases. Here, our supporters will honor Shrive’s success along with celebrating all of our Chapter’s efforts and unveiling our newest schools to come on board.

Dec 27 2012

O’Brien Wins Another Coach of the Year!


Penn State’s Bill O’Brien has picked up another coaching honor.

The Maxwell Football Club named O’Brien coach of the year on Tuesday after the first-year head coach guided the Nittany Lions to an 8-4 record under unprecedented circumstances.

O’Brien will pick up the award on March 1 at the Maxwell Club’s awards gala in Atlantic City. That same night, Penn State’s senior class will receive the Brookshier Spirit Award for commitment, leadership and effort in 2012.

The season began under the cloud of strict NCAA sanctions for the school’s handling of the child sex abuse scandal involving retired assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

But Penn State finished a surprising second in the Big Ten Leaders Division behind unbeaten Ohio State.

O’Brien has also been named ESPN coach of the year.

Dec 6 2012

Three Coach of the Year Finalist Honors for Bill O’Brien


O’Brien was named a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club Coach of the Year award Wednesday morning, his third such nomination in as many days. The first year head coach was also named an Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year finalist by the Football Writers Association of America, as well as a finalist for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year honor previously this week.  Add those nominations to his previous sweep of the Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year awards last week, and his addition to the Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year watch list, and O’Brien could have quite the haul of hardware between now and the calenders turn to January.
O’Brien is joined on the Maxwell finalists’ list by Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly, who will coach the Fighting Irish in the Jan. 7 National Championship game against Alabama, as well as by Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder. The 76th award winner will be announced Dec. 19, with an award ceremony of Maxwell Club award winners planned March 1st at the Maxwell Awards Gala in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Penn State’s senior class is already schedule to attend, as its’ senior class was the 2012 recipient of the clubs’ Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award, which will recognize their commitment, leadership, and outstanding effort during the season, according to a press release.
Dec 4 2012

2012 Seniors Win Maxwell Spirit Award!!


UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Maxwell Football Club President Ron Jaworski has announced that the 2012 senior members of the Penn State football team will be honored as winners of the Club’s Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award in recognition of their commitment, leadership and outstanding effort during this season.

Penn State completed the 2012 season, its first under Coach Bill O’Brien, with an 8-4 record, winning eight of its final 10 games. The Nittany Lions were 6-2 in Big Ten Conference play, with the only setbacks coming to division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. Under O’Brien, the Big Ten-Dave McClain Coach of the Year, Penn State finished the season by defeating eventual Big Ten champion Wisconsin, 24-21 in overtime, on Senior Day.

“The senior leaders at Penn State demonstrated incredible commitment, character and effort during the past year, and what they accomplished on the field this fall is just astonishing”, said Jaworski. “With the difficult circumstances surrounding the program it would have been easy for many of these players to look for a different situation to finish their college careers. But they chose to stay and support their teammates, coaches and university. The spirit and courage demonstrated in their actions is worthy of recognition with the Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award. They are a very special group of young men.”

The Thomas Brookshier Spirit Award will be presented as part of the 76th Maxwell Football Club National Awards Gala which will be held at the Harrah’s Atlantic City Resort on March 1, 2013. Other awards presented at the event include: The Maxwell Award, The Chuck Bednarik Award, The MFC Collegiate Coach of the Year Award, The Francis “Reds” Bagnell Award, The MFC Tri-State Player of the Year Award, and the MFC Tri-State Coach of the Year Award. The Maxwell Football Club will announce the winners of its high school and professional awards in January 2013.