Tallahassee, FL – The Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation, Inc., the creator and sponsor of the Biletnikoff Award presented annually to college football’s outstanding receiver regardless of position, has selected thirteen remarkably talented North Florida high school seniors of high character as Foundation Scholars.
The Foundation will provide substantial scholarships and other benefits to these outstanding young men and women, who have overcome significant emotional, mental, physical, and environmental barriers to achieve at the highest academic and extracurricular levels. Last year, the Foundation provided over $800,000 in benefits to sixteen scholars.
These thirteen seniors will be recognized at the 21st annual Biletnikoff Award Banquet on Saturday, February 7, 2015, at the University Center Club at Tallahassee’s Doak Campbell Stadium before a sold-out audience of 550 patrons. ESPN3 will live broadcast the banquet which will also honor 2014 Biletnikoff Award winner Amari Cooper of the University of Alabama. Former college and NFL quarterback Joe Theismann, one of America’s outstanding speakers, will deliver the keynote address. The banquet, hailed by many as “the best in college sports,” will also witness the presentation of the Biletnikoff Award trophy, the most beautiful in college sports, to Amari Cooper.
Foundation Chairman Charles Hopkins commented, “These thirteen students will become important leaders in the Florida and America of the 21st century!”
Scholarship Committee Co-Chairman Tom Cox, Jr., remarked, “Foundation designations for scholarship awards are the most coveted in Florida, as the competition is fierce due to the large number of very high quality applicants and the fact that the requirements to be so designated are extraordinarily rigorous.”
“In fact, the overall quality of applicants has never been higher and the distinction of those ranked among the top 20 in the applicant pool is the most outstanding in our 21 years’ history. The quality of the scholars and our trustees’ drive to serve others is a powerful incentive for our highly successful fundraising, which established another record in 2015,” noted Fundraising Chairman and Founding Trustee Walter Manley, II.
The thirteen honored scholars are:
Tracy Biletnikoff Memorial Scholarship Winner
Savannah Walker- Leon High School – Leon County
Brooks Rogers Memorial Scholarship Winner
John “Allen” Vinson – Chiles High School – Leon County
Foundation Trustees Scholarship Winner
Samantha Carpenter – Wakulla High School – Wakulla County
Evelyn Kay Fletcher – Robert F. Munroe Day School – Gadsden County
Robert “Cole” Barclay – Aucilla Christian Academy – Jefferson County
Irj Tajdar – Leon High School – Leon County
Ronald Andrew Nicholson – Leon High School – Leon County
Camarion Hale – East Gadsden High – Gadsden County
Bailey Lauren Nix – Leon High School – Leon County
Grace Ellen Hanna – Maclay School – Leon County
Jadazzia Vickers – Godby High School – Leon County
Nathaniel Jackson – Wakulla High School – Wakulla County
Babar Ahmed – Rickards High School – Leon County
Please consult the nationally cited Foundation website: www.biletnikoffaward.com
The Biletnikoff Award recognizes college football’s outstanding receiver at any position (wide receiver, tight end, slot back, halfback). The distinguished 270 member national selection committee tapped Alabama’s Cooper over the other finalists Kevin White of West Virginia University and Rashard Higgins of Colorado State University. Foundation trustees do not vote and have never voted.