Renfree Named Pop Warner College Football Award Winner

National award presented to Pop Warner alum for athletic, academic & community leadership

By Pop Warner National Staff
November 21, 2012

Pop Warner recently announced Duke University quarterback Sean Renfree will receive the third annual Pop Warner National College Football Award.

The award, established in 2010, recognizes a Pop Warner alumnus who has made a difference on the field, in the classroom and in his community. It is presented to a student-athlete who has taken the ideals of Pop Warner to the next level and serves as a role model to Pop Warner’s young scholar athletes.

Pop Warner will present the award to Renfree on Wednesday, Dec. 5 during the 56th annual Pop Warner Super Bowl at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL. The 2012 finalists included University of Miami running back Mike James, University of Michigan offensive guard Patrick Omameh and University of Connecticut wide receiver Nick Williams.

“We created the Pop Warner National College Football Award to honor a student-athlete who serves as a positive role model for our young athletes,” said Jon Butler, executive director of Pop Warner Little Scholars. “We considered hundreds of tremendous athletes this year, and believe we have found an exceptional recipient in Sean Renfree. He is an outstanding athlete and team leader, accomplished student, and admirable young man.”

A two-year team captain, Renfree has led Duke to its best season in nearly two decades, becoming bowl-eligible for the first time since 1994. A three-year starter, Renfree owns Duke’s career completion percentage record (.646) and single-season completion percentage record (.650, 2011) and ranks among top five in school history in passing yards, passing touchdowns, pass completions, completion percentage, passing efficiency and 300-yard passing games. He is among the top 20 in the country in pass completions and completion percentage this season, and one of only 11 active quarterbacks with over 8,000 career passing yards.

A fifth-year senior, Renfree graduated from Duke in Dec. 2011 with a degree in public policy and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in humanities with a 3.76 grade point average. He is a two-time member of the All-ACC Academic Football Team and a four-time selection to the ACC Academic Honor Roll. Renfree was one of 11 athletes named to the 2012 AFCA Good Works Team for his community outreach, and will represent Duke at the Sugar Bowl. He takes on several personal community service initiatives, including visits to the Duke Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House, Active Teen and the Durham Rescue Mission.

In addition to being named the 2012 Pop Warner National College Football Award winner, Renfree is one of 15 recipients of the National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award; a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, awarded to the top scholar-athlete in the nation; and one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS award.

Nominations for the Pop Warner National College Football Award are accepted from colleges across the country in the fall, and hundreds of players are considered. The inaugural award was presented to former University of Nebraska and current New York Giants’ defensive back Prince Amukamara, and the 2011 award was presented to University of Virginia and current Washington Redskins' cornerback Chase Minnifield.