April 13, 2011
NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. - Omar Bolden of Arizona State University has been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, honoring the top collegiate defensive player in the country. The announcement came at a luncheon hosted by Ronnie Lott and the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation.
Bolden is a 5-10, 195-pound cornerback from Ontario, California, who was a unanimous all-Pacific-10 Conference First-team performer last season when he had 52 tackles, three interceptions and seven passes defended. Bolden suffered a knee injury in spring practice recently and his status for 2011 is not known.
This is the eighth year that the IMPACT Foundation has recognized the student-athletes throughout the nation who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams both on and off the field. IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, characteristics that Ronnie Lott exhibited throughout his brilliant Hall of Fame career at both USC and in the National Football League.
The 2011 list of 42 (Lott's uniform number) includes 19 defensive backs, 14 linebackers and nine defensive linemen.
Eleven of the nominees received All-American honors a year ago and 10 were accorded academic honors in their respective conferences.
The Lott Trophy has now donated nearly $850,000 to charities since its inception in 2004, including $275,000 to 23 different universities. The winners' school receives $25,000 annually, each of the three runner-ups $5,000 and the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week $1,000.
A national voter panel, made up of more than 200 former collegiate stars, former college coaches, members of the media and both the Lott IMPACT Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, will select the four finalists who will be honored at the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy banquet Dec. 11 in Newport Beach.
Named after Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Ronnie Lott, The Lott Trophy is awarded to college football's Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year. Founded in 2004 by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation, The Lott Trophy is the first and only college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player. The Lott Trophy is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. Voters for the award include selected members of the national media, distinguished former players and coaches, previous finalists, the Board of Directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation and the IMPACT Foundation Board of Advisors. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $850,000 to various charities throughout the country. The eighth annual Lott Trophy dinner will be held December 11th at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach, California.
For more information on The Lott Trophy visit: www.LottImpactTrophy.com