Thursday, August 26, 2010

Temple's Pierce named to Doak Walker Watch List

DALLAS (8/26/10) -  Temple sophomore Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) is one of 50 players named to the Watch List for the 2010 Doak Walker award, presented to the nation's top college running back, the PricewaterhouseCoopers SMU Athletic Forum announced.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will select the semifinalists on November 10, and the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee will cast votes to determine the finalists, who will be announced on November 22. The Committee will cast a second vote beginning on
November 29 to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives.

The recipient of the 2010 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on ESPN on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards on Thursday, December 9. The Doak Walker Award Presentation Banquet will be held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, in February 2011.

The award, in its 21th year, is named for SMU's three-time All-America running back Doak Walker. It is the only major collegiate award that requires all candidates to be in good academic standing and on schedule to
graduate within one year of other students of the same classification.

The watch list honor is Pierce's third in the preseason.  A candidate for the Heisman Trophy, he has also been named to the watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year as well as the Maxwell Award.

A 2010 preseason All-American and first-team All-Mid-American Conference honoree, Pierce was named the team's inaugural newcomer of the year. A 2009 Freshman All-American, MAC Freshman of the Year, and first-team All-MAC selection, he set the freshman records for yards (1,361), touchdowns (16),
and 100-yard rushing games (6). He also set the single-season records for TDs (16) and points scored (96).

Fans and media can follow Pierce's progress throughout the season on his own website-- www.Pierce4Heisman.com as well as on Facebook under Pierce4Heisman.

Pierce is the fifth Owl to earn a spot on a preseason watch list. To date, a school record five Owls appear on eight watch lists in the preseason. In addition to Pierce's three honors, junior Adrian Robinson (Harrisburg, Pa.) has two citations-- the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award Watch Lists. Senior Jaiquawn Jarrett (Queens, N.Y.) was named to the 2010 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, while junior Muhammad Wilkerson (Linden, N.J.) was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List.  Junior James Nixon (New Haven, Conn.) is a candidate for the inaugural Paul Hornung Award for the most versatile player in college football.

Temple opens the 2010 season on Friday, Sept. 3 with Villanova at 5 p.m. in the second annual Mayor's Cup at Lincoln Financial Field.

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