CHICAGO – Senior offensive lineman
Jacob Bacon of the Drake University football team is one of 13 student-athletes finalists for the 2019 STATS Football Championship Subdivision Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award.
Named after the late school teacher and wife of legendary coach Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson, the fifth annual award is presented to an FCS student-athlete who excels not only in the classroom, but in the community and beyond.
On Wednesday, Bacon, from Hastings, Minn., was named the Pioneer Football League's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He is just the second Bulldog to win the prestigious PFL academic award. Bacon started 10-of-11 games this season. He helped block for Drake's backs, led by fifth-year senior
Drew Lauer, who rushed for 1,608 yards and scored a team-high 17 touchdowns and protect freshman quarterback
Ian Corwin. He earned 2019 All-PFL honorable mention honors.
Bacon graduated with his bachelor's degrees in actuarial science and finance with a 3.93 grade point average. He is enrolled in Drake's Masters of Business Administration program concentrating in business analytics and holds a 4.00 grade point average. Bacon has been named to the PFL academic first-team three straight years.
STATS will announce the winner on Dec. 16 and honor him at the FCS Awards Banquet Jan. 10 in Frisco, Texas – on the eve of the FCS national championship game.
The Doris Robinson Award finalists:
- Big Sky Conference: Dante Olson, Montana, LB, R-Sr. (major: business administration/management, GPA: 3.91)
- Big South Conference: K.J. Smith, North Alabama, SS, Sr. (interdisciplinary studies/emphasis on health, 4.00)
- CAA Football: Chucky Smith, Villanova, S, R-Sr. (biology with minors in economics and naval science, 3.62)
- Ivy League: Jelani Taylor, Cornell, S, Sr. (hotel administration, 3.94)
- Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Ian McBorrough, Morgan State, LB, Sr. (business management, 3.29)
- Missouri Valley Football Conference: Tom Rehfeld, Western Illinois, LB, R-Sr. (nursing degree. 3.50; in grad school)
- Northeast Conference: Spencer DeMedal, Duquesne, S, Sr. (biology, 3.98)
- Ohio Valley Conference: Joe Caputo, Eastern Illinois, LB, R-Sr. (accounting and finance with minors in data analytics and supply chain management, 3.89)
- Patriot League: Alex Pechin, Bucknell, P, 5th Year. (biomedical engineering and management for engineers double major, 3.90)
- Pioneer Football League: Jacob Bacon, Drake, OL, Sr. (actuarial science and finance, 3.93; business administration in grad school, 4.0)
- Southern Conference: Dorian Kithcart, Mercer, DL, R-Sr. (mechanical engineering degree, 3.54 GPA; mechanical engineering in grad school, 3.63)
- Southland Conference: Chris Zirkle, Northwestern State, OL, R-Sr. (business degree, 3.83; homeland security in grad school, 4.00)
- Southwestern Athletic Conference: Carl Thompson, Alabama State, OL, R-Jr. (computer information system, 3.6)
