Alan Page Named Recipient Of 2001 Dick Enberg Award
Former Notre Dame football All-American to receive award for furthering the reach of Academic All-America programs.

June 20, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Former Notre Dame football All-American Alan Page, a Minnesota state Supreme Court associate justice who has done extensive work supporting educational programs for minorities, has been named winner of the 2001 Dick Enberg Award. He will be honored June 26 at the Verizon Academic All-America Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York.

The award was established three years ago in honor of CBS Sports sportscaster Dick Enberg, who will present this year’s award to Page. The award is given annually to “a person whose actions and commitments have furthered the meaning and reach of the Academic All-America programs and/or the student-athlete while promoting the values of education and academics.”

Page founded the Page Education Foundation in 1988 with the mission of supporting educational and mentoring programs for minority secondary school students in Minnesota. Since its inception the Foundation has granted more than 2,000 scholarships worth over $1.5 million to nearly 1,000 students.

“When this award was established, it was to recognize the extraordinary achievements of people like Alan Page.” says Enberg.

“He has been be an exemplary role model off the field following a playing career that was among the greatest in NFL history.”

A first-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings in 1967, Page played 15 years in the NFL, making nine Pro Bowls. In 1971 he became the first defensive player ever named NFL MVP and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.

A three-year starter at defensive end from 1964-66 at Notre Dame, he was a consensus All-America pick in his senior season. Page had 63 tackles in ’66 as he led the Fighting Irish to the national championship. He graduated from Notre Dame in 1967 with a degree in pre-law. In 1992, he was the recipient of the NCAA Silver Anniversary award.

Verizon, in conjunction with the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), established the Hall of Fame in 1988 to honor former college scholar-athletes who have excelled in their professions and have made substantial contributions to their communities. The 2001 inductees are Lynn Barry, Cris Collinsworth, John R. Hall, Dr. Gary Hall, Sr. and Jennifer Trosper.

Notre Dame has had three former football inducted into the Academic All-America Hall of Fame: Joe Theismann (1990), Dave Casper (1993) and Bob Thomas (1996).