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U.S. ARMY ALL - AMERICAN BOWL SELECTS 2012 AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AWARD FINALISTS 

-- Finalists Considered as Top Five Defensive Players in the Nation

 

February 2012

BlackNews.com

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee today announced the five finalists for the American Family Insurance Defensive Player of the Year award, given to the top prep defensive player in the country. The American Family Defensive Player of the Year will be announced Friday, January 6, 2012, at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Awards Dinner ceremony.

"Consistent success demands mental, emotional and physical strength, a strength forged in every Army Strong Soldier" said John Myers, Director of Strategic Communications, Marketing and Outreach, U.S. Army Accessions Command. "Just as Soldiers rely on these strengths to succeed each day, the finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year utilize a similar strength to perform exceptionally each time they take the field. That strength has earned each of these players the honor of wearing the Army colors, and we're proud to congratulate them as finalists for this prestigious award."

This is the second year for the American Family Defensive Player of the Year award. The inaugural award was presented to current Ohio State linebacker Curtis Grant from Hermitage High School in Richmond, Va. The following U.S. Army All-Americans have been nominated for the 2012 award:

Last Name, First Name
Position
High School
City, State

Hamilton, Darius
DL
Don Bosco Prep
Ramsey, NJ

Harvey-Clemons, Josh
LB
Lowndes High School
Valdosta, GA

Howard, Tracy
DB
Miramar High School
Miramar, FL

Thompson, Shaq
DB
Grant High School
Sacramento, CA

Washington, Adolphus
DL
Taft High School
Cincinnati, OH

For more than a decade, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been the Nation's premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America's future college and NFL stars. Adrian Peterson, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Lattimore, and Andrew Luck all made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans. The 2011 U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew a crowd of nearly 38,000 to the Alamodome, and was the most-watched sporting event on television over the weekend, excluding the NFL playoffs.

For more information on the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com and www.goarmy.com/events/aab or the official Facebook and Twitter pages located at www.facebook.com/USArmyAllAmericanBowl and www.twitter.com/armyallamerican

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is owned and produced by All American Games, a New Jersey-based sport marketing and event management company. The U.S. Army is the title sponsor of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and American Family Insurance is the lead national sponsor and presenting sponsor of the telecast on NBC. Other national sponsors include Rivals.com, San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau, Russell Athletic, Adidas, Gatorade, Schutt Sports, NCSA, TapouT, Oakley, NewTek and Football University. National sponsors of the All-American Marching Band include NAfME: The National Association for Music Education, Drum Corps International, Jupiter Band Instruments and DeMoulin Uniforms.