Kansas State senior offensive tackle Dalton Risner earned his third off-the-field designation in the last month as he was named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list, according to a release from K-State.
Risner, a product of Wiggins, Colorado, was also named the 2017-18 Big 12 Male Sportsperson of the Year last month, while he earned a nomination for the 2018 AFCA Good Works Team last week.
He is one of 106 players to be named to the 2018 watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, which is described as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service.” One of 21 players to return to the watch list from last season, Risner, along with Dante Barnett (2015 and 2016), are the only Wildcats to be named a preseason candidate for the award since it started naming a watch list three years ago.
Risner’s off-the-field contributions have been well documented, led by him starting the RiseUp Foundation, which was founded in both a blog and v-log form to “encourage everyone to RISE above the evil and sin in this world and be a positive shining light in the lives of others.” The ultimate goal for the foundation is to motivate people through his words and actions, through his stories and his relationships.
A 2017 First Team All-American by Pro Football Focus, Risner also visits Buttonwood Special Needs Home, is a Big Brother to Kaden, who is battling leukemia, among many other activities he does on his own. He is also active in the K-State football team’s initiatives, including Special Olympics, Senior Kats (spending time at all four local retirement communities), Cats in the Classroom (volunteering at local elementary schools), Cats 4 Cans (collection of food items for the Flint Hills Breadbasket) and Adopt-a-Family.
