FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla./NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Cal junior wide receiver/special teams standout Jack Austin picked up a pair of honors related to his community service and academic endeavors Wednesday when he was named to the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and announced as Cal's nominee for the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®.

"I'd like to thank everyone involved with the Wuerffel Trophy and the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® for recognizing the community service I've contributed during my career at Cal," Austin said. "A ton of credit is due to the awesome student-athletes I've been surrounded by. Our combined efforts have put me in this incredible position, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished. I can't imagine my life here at Cal without being involved in community service. I'm thankful for these opportunities and the positive influence myself and my team have had on our community."

Austin is heavily involved in community service with the long list of the groups he has worked with and activities he has participated in including College Sports Day, Oakland Tech High School Christmas Charity Event, Washington Elementary School Mentor, Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland, St. Mark's Episcopal Church and San Quentin State Prison.

He is also currently the President of the Golden Bear Advisory Committee, which is a student-athlete organization that is Cal's version of SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) after serving in previous roles as the VP of Activities and VP of Philanthropy. He has also played a key role in the planning of the OSKIs awards show run almost exclusively by Cal student-athletes that is modeled after the ESPYs. 

Austin represented Cal at the 2014 APPLE Conference, an event that promotes student-athlete wellness and substance abuse prevention and then upon his return to Cal originated the "Stay Golden" wellness campaign, which features a monthly wellness tip and connects student-athletes to on-campus resources and related events such as hydration tips, hazing prevention and sleep support.

Austin has also had success in the classroom at Cal and was named the Jonathan and Judy Hoff Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2015-16 academic campaign.

Austin is also one of the team's top special teams players and has participated in 15 games off the bench during his 2015 sophomore and 2014 redshirt freshman season following a redshirt campaign in 2013.

The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is presented annually by the All Sports Association in Fort Walton Beach Florida. Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.

Semifinalists for the Wuerffel Trophy will be announced Nov. 3 and finalists on November 23. The formal announcement of the 2016 recipient will be made on December 6 at the National Football Foundation's press conference in New York City. The presentation of the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 48th Annual All Sports Association Awards Banquet on February 10, 2017, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.

The Wuerffel Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast over 722 years of tradition-selected excellence. The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 12-day period this month. Sixteen of the association's 22 awards select a preseason watch list and the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® is one of the most coveted off-the-field honors in college football. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the award, which was established in 1992 to recognize a select group of college football players who have made a commitment to service and enriching the lives of others.

In honor of the 25th anniversary, Allstate and the AFCA will add three additional spots to this year's team and announce a final roster of 25 members in September. For the first time in the award's history, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® will be comprised of 12 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, 12 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA and an honorary head coach.
Once the final team members are announced in September, fans are encouraged to visit the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® website on ESPN.com, featuring profiles and images of the players, for the opportunity to vote for the 2016 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® Captain.

Former Cal players Nick Forbes and Jeffrey Coprich were previously members of the Allstate Good Works Team^® in 2013 and 2014.