Congratulations
LeVon Morefield
2009 Rudy Award Winner!
University of Akron Zip walk-on, junior running back LeVon Morefield has been named the winner of the 2009 College Football Rudy Award.
LeVon was presented the trophy by Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger in a live ceremony held January 11th in Orlando, FL.
He was born one month premature, and addicted to crack cocaine as a result of his mother’s drug use. He has one older sibling, a brother who was also born addicted to crack cocaine. LeVon and his brother grew up together, and yet never lived in a stable home moving from home to home. Growing up with this rough background proves one of two things. It proves that you can become a product of your environment, which his brother did, and is now serving a life sentence in prison. But, it also proves that you can take the negatives of your life and turn them into a positive energy towards excelling for success...
Read LeVon's full story
Runners Up
O'Darris D'Haiti
Florida Int'l University
A walk-on, senior defensive back O’Darris D’Haiti was cut from the Golden Panthers the first time he tried out. His hard work has since earned him playing time on special teams and eventually as a defensive starter.
Read O'Darris' full story
Brian Coulter
University of Missouri
University of Missouri Tigers senior defensive end Brian Coulter has overcome what most would consider impossible odds. Family violence spiraled out of control in his childhood. His mother, in self defense, shot & killed his father.
Read Brian's full story
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the 49 nominees of the 2009 College Football Rudy Awards. Your stories have inspired tens of thousands of people from across the country. To learn more about their inspirational stories please click here.
About The Award
The College Football Rudy Awards honor Division I football players who demonstrate the exemplary values of inspirational football legend Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger, the subject of the beloved and inspirational film RUDY. The award will not be won by the most talented players with the best stats, but rather the Rudy Awards measure the size of a player's heart.
Press Release
Orlando, FL (January 11, 2010) – LeVon Morefield, a junior walk-on running back for the University of Akron Zips, has won the 2009 College Football Rudy Award it was announced today by The Rudy Foundation 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
The Rudy Awards™ honor student-athletes who demonstrate exemplary CHARACTER, COURAGE, CONTRIBUTION and COMMITMENT as members of their teams, on and off the field. These same traits were immortalized in the blockbuster film RUDY in 27 seconds and against all odds on a gridiron in South Bend, Indiana, enabling Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger to carve his name into college football lore.
Click here to read the entire release.