Dulcich Earns Nomination for Burlsworth Trophy
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Greg Dulcich of the UCLA football team has been nominated for the 2021 Burlsworth Trophy, it was announced by the Burlsworth Trophy Tuesday.
Dulcich is one of 88 student-athletes under consideration for the award, which recognizes annually the most outstanding player in college football who started his career as a walk-on. Each nominee must have begun his first season of participation on the Football Bowl Subdivision level without financial aid of any kind from his university's athletic department.
A redshirt junior, Dulcich has recorded 31 receptions for 477 yards and four touchdowns in 2021. The yardage total is good for fifth nationally and tops in the Pac-12. He is tied for the conference lead, and 10th nationally, at his position in scoring plays. Dulcich has twice broken the 100-yard mark through the air this season, posting 117 versus LSU and 136 – on a career-best nine catches – against Arizona State.
Though shortened, it was a breakout 2020 campaign for Dulcich, who logged team highs of 517 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions. His 19.9 yards per catch and 73.9 receiving yards per game each ranked second in the nation and first in the Pac-12 among tight ends. Dulcich closed the season with career performances opposite USC (167 receiving yards) and Stanford (two touchdown catches). He earned second-team All-Pac-12 recognition from the league coaches, as well as the Associated Press.
Dulcich earned a scholarship after putting up eight receptions for 105 yards and the first touchdown of his career while contributing on special teams in 2019. He appeared in three games as a true freshman in 2018, making his first-career catch versus Stanford.
In the classroom, Dulcich has made the UCLA Athletic Director's Honor Roll at the conclusion of every quarter since he enrolled in 2018, earning a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 while passing 12 or more quarter units each time. He achieved a 4.0 GPA for Winter 2021.
The Burlsworth Trophy is named for Brandon Burlsworth, who walked on at the University of Arkansas in 1994 having not received a Division I scholarship offer. He became a three-year starter and was eventually named an All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63rd overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1999 NFL draft, but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later. The Burlsworth Foundation was created in his memory and supports the physical and spiritual needs of children, in particular those children who have limited opportunities.
Three finalists will be honored and the winner announced at the Burlsworth Trophy award ceremony, set for Dec. 6 (5 p.m. PT) at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Ark.