University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Joe Murphy
Jake Elliott Named American Athletic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Feb 28, 2017 | Football
Elliott receives a $2,000 scholarship for graduate or professional studies.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Commissioner Mike Aresco has announced that Memphis' Jake Elliott, one of the top kickers in college football history, has been chosen as the 2016 American Athletic Conference Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The selection was made by the conference's Academic Affairs Committee and is presented on the basis of academic credentials and athletic performance.
A senior from Western Spring, Illinois, Elliott will receive a $2,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. Elliott is the second player from Memphis in the last three years to win the award, joining linebacker Charles Harris, who was honored after the 2014 season.
A two-time American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year (2014, 2015), Elliott became the first player in the history of The American to earn first-team all-conference honors four times. He was a second-team Associated Press and Walter Camp All-America pick in 2015, a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection in 2016, was a finalist for the 2015 Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker, and was a three-time Groza Award semifinalist.
Elliott finished his career as Memphis' career leader in scoring (438 points) and field goals (80). He made all 198 of his PAT attempts in his career and ranks sixth among all kickers in NCAA FBS history in career scoring. He has the four longest field goals in school history (56, 54, 53, 53) and was a nine-time winner of The American's Special Teams Player of the Week award, setting a conference record.
In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Elliott registered a 3.85 grade-point average as a marketing management major. He was the 2016 winner of The American's Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award for football and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes athletics, academics and community service. Elliott is a member of Memphis' student-athlete advisory committee and has been a regular volunteer for a number of community service initiatives, including with Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, the American Red Cross, and Make a Wish Foundation.
The Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor is one of a number of scholarships presented by the American Athletic Conference during the 2015-16 academic year. The conference also names winners of the league's Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships, which go to one male and one female student-athlete at each of the conference's member institutions. The American additionally names male and female Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
The winners of the institutional, football and basketball awards are then eligible for the American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which provides an additional postgraduate scholarship to one male and one female student-athlete.
American Athletic Conference Football Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2013 Ryan Alderman, WR, Temple
2014 Charles Harris, LB, Memphis
2015 Ryan Leahy, OG, Cincinnati
E.K. Binns, OG, Navy
2016 Jake Elliott, K, Memphis
A senior from Western Spring, Illinois, Elliott will receive a $2,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. Elliott is the second player from Memphis in the last three years to win the award, joining linebacker Charles Harris, who was honored after the 2014 season.
A two-time American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year (2014, 2015), Elliott became the first player in the history of The American to earn first-team all-conference honors four times. He was a second-team Associated Press and Walter Camp All-America pick in 2015, a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection in 2016, was a finalist for the 2015 Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker, and was a three-time Groza Award semifinalist.
Elliott finished his career as Memphis' career leader in scoring (438 points) and field goals (80). He made all 198 of his PAT attempts in his career and ranks sixth among all kickers in NCAA FBS history in career scoring. He has the four longest field goals in school history (56, 54, 53, 53) and was a nine-time winner of The American's Special Teams Player of the Week award, setting a conference record.
In addition to his on-field accomplishments, Elliott registered a 3.85 grade-point average as a marketing management major. He was the 2016 winner of The American's Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award for football and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award, which recognizes athletics, academics and community service. Elliott is a member of Memphis' student-athlete advisory committee and has been a regular volunteer for a number of community service initiatives, including with Le Bonheur Children's Hospital, the American Red Cross, and Make a Wish Foundation.
The Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor is one of a number of scholarships presented by the American Athletic Conference during the 2015-16 academic year. The conference also names winners of the league's Institutional Scholar-Athlete Scholarships, which go to one male and one female student-athlete at each of the conference's member institutions. The American additionally names male and female Basketball Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
The winners of the institutional, football and basketball awards are then eligible for the American Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which provides an additional postgraduate scholarship to one male and one female student-athlete.
American Athletic Conference Football Scholar-Athletes of the Year
2013 Ryan Alderman, WR, Temple
2014 Charles Harris, LB, Memphis
2015 Ryan Leahy, OG, Cincinnati
E.K. Binns, OG, Navy
2016 Jake Elliott, K, Memphis
Players Mentioned
PK
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