Anthony McFarlin

Matt Wrather Named to Prestigious Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

9/17/2024 8:00:00 AM | By: Danny Gibel, Staff Writer

Wrather is just the second Blue Streak to be honored on the Good Works Team

WACO, TEX. – Jesuit education stresses the importance of being a Man or Woman for Others, and Matt Wrather perfectly embodies this important value.

For only the second time in program history, a Blue Streak has been named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^®. Wrather joins David Porter as the only two John Carroll student-athletes to receive the most-esteemed off-field honor in college football.

The Allstate AFCA (American Football Coaches Association) Good Works Team consists of 22 student-athletes who dedicated significant time towards serving their community and positively impacting others.

The final roster is comprised of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA. Players were selected by a special voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members. Wrather is one of five Division III selections to the Good Works Team.

Wrather has accumulated countless accolades for his tremendous on-field play, but for every run block and clean pocket, there has been an act of selflessness and service.

Entering the 2024-25 academic year, he has sacrificed over 260 hours, a rough estimate, towards serving others and his community during his time in University Heights.

"Growing up in the Catholic Church, I was taught the importance of giving back. I believe we all have a responsibility to help each other," said Wrather. "Through my experience as a football player, I've realized the many blessings I've been given and the need to use those blessings to make the world a better place."

Wrather's most outstanding contribution has been through John Carroll University's Jesuit Day of Service, an annual tradition that takes place at Jesuit educational institutions worldwide.

The two-time First-Team All-OAC center was a member of the core team last spring, helping to organize 350+ JCU community members from 40+ student organizations, athletic teams, and on-campus groups around Cleveland and sent them to 8 different community partners. Activities included spring clean up projects, painting projects, sorting and organizing activities and other meaningful work determined by our community partners. In the previous year's outing, Wrather served as the student leader of a service site and coordinated over 90 participants into different jobs and tasks. Wrather and his small army of Blue Streak volunteers supported the Fatima Family Center, a local non-profit community center by beautifying the grounds.

Wrather also co-founded the John Carroll University Student Alumni Association last August, aiming to bridge the gap between students and alumni. Wrather, the Vice President of Finance, and the executive team recruited over 200 alumni and 150 students while sponsoring seven successful events over the past year.

His work ethic and good nature were passed on to Wrather by his family. From his hard-working parents to an older brother who left behind big shoes to fill, to his twin-sister turned best friend, they have all played a unique role in Wrather's lifetime formation.

It has been an incredible career for Wrather, who was named to his second Lindy's Sports Preseason All-American team in August, but this honor will stand above the rest.

The 2023 OAC Ken Wable Offensive Lineman of the Year will join the ranks of legendary signal callers Peyton and Eli Manning, and Tim Tebow (whose Night to Shine event Wrather has volunteered for). Some more recent honorees are Ladd McConkey, a 2024 second-round pick and wide receiver for the Los Angeles Chargers, and Blake Corum, 2023 National Champion and 2022 First-Team All-American running back.

"You have special players in your career as a coach. He's one of those special players because of everything he does on a daily basis," said Head Football Coach Jeff Behrman '95. "It's not just his ability on the field, it's everything he does off the field. You need guys like that in programs and organizations to strengthen your culture. Matt is that leader who everyone can look to as someone who does everything right, and does good things for others while strengthening others around him. That's the sign of a great leader."

The 2023 D3football.com Second-Team All-American will enter the national spotlight on New Year's Day when he travels to Allstate Sugar Bowl to join the 21 other members of the 2024 Good Works Team. Wrather will take place in what has become an annual tradition provided by Allstate as an additional honor for being selected for the team.

The prestige of the AFCA Good Works Team award will not end or diminish Wrather's desire to continue to be a Man for Others.
"At JCU, we always bring up the words of St. Ignatius, "to give and not count the cost", which helps inspire me to go out into the community and help others in the best ways that I can."

The John Carroll community should be incredibly proud of Wrather, a shining example of how to make the community a better place.

"This is one of the most prestigious honors you can receive in college football," said Behrman. "Matt is so deserving. He is the definition of selfless, and being there for other people, which is what this award represents. He's succeeded on and off the field as well as on our campus. This is a tremendous honor to be recognized by the AFCA for his contributions to not only John Carroll, but the community as a whole."

The full roster of the 2024 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and their stories of community service can be found at ESPN.com/Allstate.

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