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Clark Named National Scholar-Athlete
Oct. 25, 2007
Nicholas Clark's 2007 Fall Semester Class Schedule
SAN MARCOS - Texas State football coach Brad Wright called his team together after Thursday morning's light workout, the Bobcats' final day of preparations for Saturday's game at Northwestern State. He slid a single sheet of paper from a FedEx envelope and began to read aloud to the tightly huddled group of players a letter received from the National Football Foundation. "On behalf of the National Football Foundation, I would like to offer you congratulations, as Nicholas Clark has been selected as a 2007 NFF National Scholar-Athlete," Wright read. The Bobcats clapped and cheered. "As a National Scholar-Athlete and finalist for the Draddy Trophy, he will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship. If he is selected as the Draddy recipient, the scholarship will grow to $25,000," Wright continued. A couple whistles and more cheers came from squad. Wright read more details about the honor and shared with the team his congratulations regarding the recognition Clark, a Bobcat captain and four-year starter, will receive at season's end. Only Nick Clark was not among his teammates in that tight huddle around their head coach Thursday morning. He had left practice early as he does every Thursday for a graduate-level class called Electrical Characterization of Materials and Devices. For four seasons, Clark has successfully balanced academics, Bobcat football and outside activities. When the Bobcats opened camp back in August, he was just wrapping up a bachelor's degree in mathematics. His first week in camp teetered between preparations for his senior season of football and his final hours of studies toward his degree. Clark graduated magna cum laude, maintaining a 3.77 grade point average as an undergraduate. Now, he is taking a full graduate class load in physics. On the playing field, he has registered 30 total tackles this fall which ranks fourth on the team. He has 4.5 tackles for lost yardage including 2.5 quarterback sacks, has forced and recovered a fumble and has been credited with a pair of quarterback hurries.
The day the National Football Foundation announced its class of National Scholar-Athlete semifinalists, Clark had a season-high seven tackles, including two for lost yardage on the road at Central Arkansas. Last week against SFA, he had four tackles including another stop for lost yardage in the Bobcats' 52-29 victory. The Stephen F. Austin game marked Clark's 43rd consecutive start at defensive end for the Bobcats. As a NFF National Scholar-Athlete, Clark is one in an elite class of 15 student-athletes from across the country who are being recognized for contributions in the classroom, on the field and in the community. "It is just a great honor to be seen as one of the best scholar-athletes in America," Clark said. "I am very thankful for this honor." Throughout his collegiate career, Clark has been involved with programs throughout the city. He served as a math mentor/tutor at Bowie Elementary School. He has also been involved in Travis Elementary's reading program and Hernandez Intermediate School's mentor program. Each summer at Texas State, he has taken part in recreation activities with young cancer patients taking part in the nation-wide Suunshine Kids program.
He is also a member of the Society of Physics Students and the campus organization, Texas State Gospel Expressions. Clark is also an accomplished bass player. He plays bass at his local church "The Way Praise and Worship." He has also shared the stage with professional artists including Little Richard, Chaka Khan, The Dazz Band, The O'Jays and Cameo. Las month Clark was named the inaugural recipient of the Institute for Environmental Risk Management's Bobcat Club Scholar Athlete Award. Last spring he was named Texas State's Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. At the National Football Foundation's 60th Anniversary Awards Dinner at New York's Waldorf=Astoria Hotel on Dec. 4, Clark will join the other 14 finalists for the Draddy Award on the dais alongside the 2007 College Football Hall of Fame Inductees. The 2007 Hall of Fame Class includes Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie, Oregon wide receiver Ahmad Rashad and Notre Dame defensive tackle Chris Zorich. Also among the 14-member class is Penn State head coach Joe Paterno. Several major awards will also be bestowed including the National Football Foundation's Gold Medal. Co-recipients of this year's Gold Medal are the U.S. Military Academy's Pete Dawkins and the U.S. Naval Academy's Roger Staubach. Notre Dame alum Rocky Bleier will receive the Distinguished American Award. The National Scholar-Athlete program was unveiled in 1959. In the history of American sports, it was the first time an organization honored football players, not only for their athletic ability, but also for their academic and civic leadership. The National Football Foundation's selection committee draws from all levels of college football including Division I, II, III and the NAIA, in making their selections. The committee also designates one of the 15 recipients as the top college football Scholar-Athlete of the Year that comes with the Draddy Trophy presented by HealthSouth. The award is named in the memory of the Foundation's former chairman, Vincent DePaul Draddy. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. "After thorough review of 153 outstanding candidates representing schools from all levels of collegiate play, the committee's deliberations resulted in the selection of an exceptional class of 15 scholar-athletes," said Robert E. Mulcahy III, chairman of the NFF Awards Committee and director of athletics at Rutgers University. "Knowing the importance and prestige of these awards, the committee takes the utmost care in making the selections, and I applaud them for their efforts." Clark is Texas State University's first NFF National Scholar-Athlete. He is the fourth Southland Conference athlete to receive the award joining McNeese State's Wes Hines (Class of 2000) and Northwestern State's Mark Johnson (1984) and William Broussard (1999). Nebraska leads the nation in National Scholar-Athlete selections with 20 while Ohio State has had 18 and Notre Dame has had 14. Clark, a native of Fort Worth, is one of two Texans honored as a National Scholar Athlete this year. University of Texas center and Katy native Dallas Griffin is the other. Below is a complete list of honorees. 2007 NFF NATIONAL SCHOLAR-ATHLETES FOOTBALL BOWL SUBDIVISION
FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUBDIVISION
DIVISION II
DIVISION III
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