Elijah Hicks Named A Wuerffel Trophy Semifinalist

FORT WALTON BEACH, FL – Elijah Hicks was named Wednesday as one of 12 national semifinalists for the Wuerffel Trophy known as "college football's premier award for community service" and presented annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. The honor is named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from Florida.

Hicks founded a non-nonprofit organization called Intercept Poverty Foundation and then raised nearly $70,000 to help families feed their school-aged children during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Through his foundation, he has also recently begun a program that awards emergency grants to Cal students in need of financial assistance.

Three finalists for the award will be named Nov. 23 and the recipient announced Dec. 9 on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show televised by ESPN. The presentation of the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy will occur on Feb. 25, 2022, at the 53rd All Sports Association Awards Banquet in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

Below are additional notes on Hicks with his extended bio available by clicking on his name.
 
Elijah Hicks, S, 5-11, 200, Sr., 5th Season At Cal, Long Beach, CA (La Mirada HS/St. John Bosco HS)
— Semifinalist for both the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy and the Wuerffel Trophy known respectively as the "Academic Heisman" and "College Football's Premier Award For Community Service"
— Has started each of the first eight games of his 2021 senior season and is the team leader in tackles (46) and forced fumbles (3), while ranking second in the Pac-12 in both forced fumbles (#8 NCAA) and forced fumbles per game (0.38, #9 NCAA)
— Also ranks tied for second on the 2021 squad with two interceptions and fourth with 4.0 tackles for loss (-12 yards), while adding 1.0 sack (-8 yards) and two pass breakups
— Cal game captain in 2021 against Nevada, Oregon and Oregon State
— A nominee for the 2021 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award
— Graduated from Cal in December of 2020 with a bachelor's degree in American studies, picked up a graduate certificate in the school's entrepreneurship program in the spring/summer of 2021 and is on track to earn another graduate certificate in business administration in December of 2021
— 2021 Preseason All-Pac-12 Third-Team (Athlon) And Honorable Mention (Pac-12 Media), NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board, No. 13 National Draft Safety (Phil Steele), Players To Watch (Athlon)
— Has played in all 50 games possible with 42 starts over the last four-plus seasons since his arrival at Cal in January of 2017 and is the school's active career leader with 187 tackles and five forced fumbles (Luc Bequette has six in his collegiate career and four at Cal), while adding 13.5 tackles for loss (-39 yards), 3.0 sacks (-15 yards), four interceptions that he has returned for a combined 66 yards and one touchdown, and 14 pass breakups