This year’s senior linebacker and captain for the EMALS, Neal Chalmers, has been announced as one of the Division III semifinalists for the prestigious National Football Foundation Draddy Trophy. The Draddy Trophy recognizes combined academic success, community leadership and football performance at the collegiate level. Nominees must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship. Neal, who maintains a 3.54 grade point average while majoring in business, is leading the team in tackles through five games. Neal has accumulated 30 solo tackles and 20 assists, adding up to 50 total tackles. He earned honorable mention All-Northwest Conference honors in 2007 and certainly is playing well enough this year to earn consideration for all-conference recognition. He already has four more tackles than he accumulated all of last season. Congratulations Neal!
Before last Saturday’s game, October 25, against the University of Puget Sound at their home field, Baker Stadium, the Lutes and Loggers participated in an honorary moment of silence in memory of former Pacific Lutheran University students Brady Freeman, an offensive lineman for the Lutes, and his girlfriend Jocelyn Denman. Both were killed in a car accident near Brewster in central Washington in late April. Brady’s twin brother Boone, a senior offensive lineman for the Loggers, was also injured in the accident. In honor of his brother, Boone wore number 62 (in place of his normal number 72) during Saturday’s game.
