Sept. 12, 2007
WACO, Texas – Notre Dame senior strong safety Tom Zbikowski has been named to the 2007 American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, the AFCA announced Wednesday. He is one of only 11 football players selected to the Division I-A team. Zbikowski is the fifth member of the Fighting Irish football program to be honored since 1999 and the fourth in the last five years.
The Good Works Team is comprised of football student-athletes who have been actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or involved in other community service activities. Nominations for the team are submitted to the AFCA by college sports information departments. Candidates have to display sincere concern and reliability, while also having made a favorable impression on the organizations with which they are involved. Athletic ability is not a criteria.
Zbikowski organized a charity boxing event in South Bend in March of 2007 and donated $50,000 to various charities, including Hannah & Friends, a non-profit foundation started by Charlie and Maura Weis that is dedicated to providing a better quality life for children and adults with special needs, Hospice of Health First of Melbourne, Fla., Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Indiana, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, South Bend Center for the Homeless, and PanCAN, a pancreatic cancer research foundation.
Last week, Zbikowski became the all-time leader in tackles by a Notre Dame defensive back as his six stops at Penn State gave him 230 career tackles, eclipsing Jim Browner’s total of 228 tackles. Zbikowski has started 38 career games for the Irish and was named Associated Press third-team All-American each of the last two seasons. He also was tabbed a second-team All-American in 2006 by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Former offensive lineman Bob Morton was selected for the team in 2006, linebacker Derek Curry was named to the 2004 squad, All-America linebacker Courtney Watson was chosen for the 2003 team and Grant Irons was the first Notre Dame football player to be selected in 1999.
2007 AFCA Good Works Teams®Division I-AName Cl. Pos. School Head Coach Hometown (High School)Jason Cook Jr. FB Mississippi Ed Orgeron Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett)Alex Derenthal Jr. C Temple Al Golden Davie, Fla. (Western)Casey Flair Jr. WR UNLV Mike Sanford Anchorage, Alaska (East)Nic Harris Jr. DB Oklahoma Bob Stoops Alexandria, La. (Alexandria)George Hypolite Jr. DT Colorado Dan Hawkins Los Angeles, Calif. (Loyola)Kelin Johnson Sr. SS Georgia Mark Richt Daytona Beach, Fla. (Mainland)Adam Kadela Sr. LB Northwestern Pat Fitzgerald Dublin, Ohio (Coffman)Red Keith Sr. LB Central Michigan Butch Jones Franklin, Ga. (Heard County)Tom Schneider Sr. PK California Jeff Tedford Walnut Creek, Calif. (Las Lomas)Paul Smith Sr. QB Tulsa Todd Graham Owasso, Okla. (Owasso)Tom Zbikowski Sr. SS Notre Dame Charlie Weis Arlington Heights, Ill. (Buffalo Grove)
FCS, Divisions II, III, and NAIAName Cl. Pos. School Head Coach Hometown (High School)Luke Drone Sr. QB Illinois St. Denver Johnson Mt. Carmel, Ill. (Mt. Carmel)Tyler Fischer Sr. LB SW Minnesota St. Eric Eidsness Gettysburg, S.D. (Gettysburg)Alan Guy Sr. LB Wayne St. (Mich.) Paul Winters Rochester Hills, Mich. (Adams)Quinton Hankins Jr. C Murray St. (Ky.) Matt Griffin Batesville, Miss. (South Panola)Mike Harriett Sr. S Chicago Dick Maloney St. Charles, Ill. (North)Lex Hilliard Sr. HB Montana Bobby Hauck Kalispell, Mont. (Flathead)James Russell Sr. OT Gettysburg (Pa.) Barry Streeter Amityville, N.Y. (Memorial)Patrick Sommerstad Sr. LB St. Thomas (Minn.) Don Roney Apple Valley, Minn. (Eastview)Steve Walker Sr. QB North Dakota St. Craig Bohl Lockport, Ill. (Township)Matt Watkins Jr. DB Valparaiso (Ind.) Stacy Adams Mason, Ohio (Mason)Anthony Williams Sr. CB Southern Illinois Jerry Kill Clewiston, Fla. (Clewiston)
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