ATLANTA - Fresno State senior linebacker Levelle Bailey added another preseason honor to his resume this season as an addition to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list for 2023, announced by the Wuerffel Foundation on Thursday morning. The initial watch list is made up of 110 players from college football's Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Wuerffel Trophy is considered college football's premier award for community service, and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports.
The senior linebacker is one of six representatives from the Mountain West. He has now earned recognition on two preseason community service awards this season.
Bailey, entering his fifth and final year as a Bulldog in 2023, has become a household name in the Central Valley not only because of his skills on the field but because of his willingness to give back to the community. Bailey takes pride in being an active member of the community, both around Fresno and his hometown of Sacramento, Calif., helping out with food drives, youth camps, and volunteering time with elementary schools.
The Sacramento, Calif. native adds this to his preseason recognitions which include watch lists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Defensive Player of the Year). He has also been named to the Shrine Bowl 1000, and he was a preseason All-Mountain West linebacker by Phil Steele (first team) and Athlon Sports (second team). Bailey was also a nominee for the Allstate and AFCA Good Works team for his efforts in and around the community.
Flashback
In 2022, Jalen Moreno-Cropper was up for the award. Former Bulldog quarterback Marcus McMaryion was a semifinalist in 2018.
About the Wuerffel Trophy
Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 2nd, and finalists will be announced on November 28th. The formal announcement of the 2023 recipient is scheduled to be made on December 7th or 8th during The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN, and the presentation of the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy will take place on February 17, 2024, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, GA.