OU's Ikard Named Wuerffel Trophy Finalist

Oklahoma Sooners center Gabe Ikard is one of eight finalists for the 2013 Wuerffel Trophy presented by the All Sports Association, Inc. in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. The Wuerffel Trophy annually honors the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement. Ikard was also a Wuerffel Trophy finalist as a junior in 2012.

Ikard is a senior co-captain who has started in 46 games in his career, including every game at center for the Sooners this season. Named a National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award recipient and a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, Ikard was also named a midseason All-American by USA Today, Sports Illustrated and CBSSports.com. He graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in multidisciplinary studies – biological sciences in May, a field of study that will prepare him to someday pursue a medical degree. Ikard is currently pursuing a second undergraduate degree at OU in human relations.

In addition, Ikard is a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. Fans are encouraged to vote at seniorCLASSaward.com through Dec. 16 at www.seniorclassaward.com/vote/football_2013/.

Ikard was also named 2013 CoSIDA Academic-All-District and received the 2013 Gerald Lage Award, the highest academic award given by the Big 12 Conference. He also was presented with the 2013 Dan S. Petty Scholar-Athlete Award, presented by the Cotton Bowl Association.

The Wuerffel Trophy is 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.

A committee that includes the Wuerffel Trophy national directors, selection committee members and past winners, will vote on the finalists later this month, and the winner will be announced on Dec. 10.

2013 Wuerffel Trophy Finalists

FB Hayden Tippett – Army

OL Dave Harding – Duke

QB Aaron Murray – Georgia

OL Will Jackson – Georgia Tech

QB Nathan Scheelhaase – Illinois

LB James Morris – Iowa

QB Jacob Karam – Memphis

K Chris Hawthorne – Minnesota

OL Gabe Ikard – Oklahoma

WR Ryan Alderman – Temple

QB Eric Soza – Texas-San Antonio

K Carey Spear – Vanderbilt