Nov. 11, 2014

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State junior long snapper Bryce Haynes has been named one of 12 finalists for the 2014 Wuerffel Trophy, the national award that honors the college football player who best exhibits exemplary community service. The All Sports Association Inc., out of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., released the names of the 12 finalists today. 

Haynes, who is majoring in biology, is a model student-athlete. He is a two-time academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete. He was also named a Big Ten Conference Distinguished Scholar for the 2012-13 academic year for maintaining a grade point average above 3.70 for the year.

On the field, Haynes has been the team’s long snapper for the past two seasons and has played in all 23 games during that span. He doesn’t just snap, though. He makes tackles and he downs loose footballs as well. And he has a thorough resume of community service activities, many as part of the Buckeyes’ team efforts and many additional activities on his own. Consider:

• Earlier this year Haynes went on a mission trip to Enchi, Ghana, to dedicate and work on the installation of a water system and renovation of a school. 

• Last year as a sophomore, Haynes spent his spring break in Lima, Peru, at two orphanages.  He started this mission with the hope that others would donate their time and resources in the future to keep it going. He brought much-needed medicines, including vitamins and iron, as well as school supplies to these children, many of whom were severely anemic.

• As a freshman in 2012, Haynes went on a medical mission trip to Ghana, Africa,  to a small, underserved community called Bibiani. He worked with a dentist, orthopedic surgeon, and urologist, assisting in urologic surgery and injecting knees, shoulders and other joints.  He anesthetized mouths with the dentist and performed many extractions and assisted in other dental procedures.  He was also instrumental in setting up the pharmacy.

• Right before his freshman season at Ohio State, in May 2011, Haynes went on a mission trip to Nicaragua where he helped build a school. And in 2008, he went on his first mission trip, to Bibiani, Ghana.

Haynes has been involved in community service and leadership projects since he arrived on campus. He has read to second graders numerous times as part of the Second & 7 program; helped with the land-scaping and cleanup of Buckeye Grove; packed boxes of food at LifeCare Alliance; visited the Ronald McDonald House at Columbus Children’s Hospital; visited patients at the James Cancer Hospital; and helped build and refurbish a new playground at the Graham Expeditionary Middle School.

Haynes is truly a team leader in community service and paying forward.

This is the 10th anniversary of the Wuerffel Trophy, an award named after former Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, who led the Florida Gators to the 1996 national championship, played six years in the National Football League and has received national recognition for his humanitarian and community service efforts with Desire Street Ministries, in New Orleans and around the country.
 
The Wuerffel Trophy finalists, listed alphabetically by university, are:

§  Taylor Kelly – Arizona State University – quarterback

§  Bryce Haynes – Ohio State University – long snapper

§  Sam Rodgers – Syracuse University – long snapper

§  Chris Conley – University of Georgia – wide receiver

§  Brennen Beyer – University of Michigan – defensive end

§  Deterrian Shackelford – University of Mississippi – linebacker

§  Ameer Abduullah – University of Nebraska – running back

§  Trevor Knight – University of Oklahoma – quarterback

§  Dylan Thompson – University of South Carolina – quarterback

§  Corey Acosta – University of Southern Mississippi – place kicker

§  Greg Mancz – University of Toledo – center

§  Andrew East – Vanderbilt University – long snapper

Buckeye Joel Penton was the 2006 recipient of the Wuerffel Trophy.