NORTHBROOK, Ill. –  Hillsdale’s Danny Drummond and Ohio Dominican’s Austin Ernst were one of 146 nominees for the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^®, one of the most prestigious off-the-field honors in college football.
 
Drummond (Pittsford, N.Y.), a senior offensive lineman, and Ernst (Cincinnati, OH), a redshirt senior quarterback, are student-athletes from two of the newest additions to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
 
The team was announced by Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).
 
A team captain entering his fourth year as a starting offensive lineman, Drummond has steadily improved throughout his career, and enters 2017 as Hillsdale's starting center. He's been named to the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team three times and was the Chargers' Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman in both 2015 and 2016. Off the field, Drummond has been heavily involved in community projects and in local volunteer organizations. He's also a talented singer and piano player, and last spring, was named Hillsdale College's Senior Man of the Year for 2016-17.
 
Off the field, Ernst has been a valuable member of the ODU community. He serves as a member of ODU's President's Society, a group of 12 students that represents the university president and student body at major functions. He has also served on the ODU Gender Equity Committee that focuses on ensuring equitable standards for all athletic teams, and was a member of the Step-Up Program, an organization that promotes a safe campus environment and protects against sexual misconduct amongst students.

On the field, Ernst has appeared in 20 games in his career, completing 25-of-35 passes (71.4 percent) for 244 yards and six touchdowns. In addition to playing quarterback, Ernst also served as the team's holder during the 2016 season. He helped the Panthers finish the 2013 regular season undefeated and be ranked as high as No. 4 in the country and reach the national quarterfinals in 2014. He was nominated by his teammates to serve on the team's Honor Committee and Leadership Committee as well.

Ernst is a member of Athletes in Action and has also volunteered with a Veterans Association Hospital as well as with Sua Sponte, an ODU student veterans association. He also has worked with the 2nd & 7 Foundation, an organization that reads to at-risk youth in underprivileged schools. Around campus, he has been a participants in Panther Pride Pitch-In and with Make A Difference Day.

Since 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® has brought together a select group of college football players from across the country to honor their dedication to volunteerism and enriching the lives of others. While players are often recognized for their accomplishments and achievements on game day, these student-athletes have made significant contributions to the greater good of society, inspiring future generations of young athletes and the larger college football community.
 
“Allstate is immensely honored to partner with the AFCA for the 10^th year to help pay tribute to these players and their off-the-field ‘good works’ that often go unnoticed and unrewarded,” said Thomas Clarkson, president of the west territory for Allstate Insurance Company and a member of the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® voting panel. “The individuals nominated to the 2017 Good Works Team^® are making a positive impact and uniting communities across the country through service, showing what’s possible when you put all hands in and give back.”
 
The student-athletes nominated for this esteemed award embody the true spirit of teamwork and selflessness, donating their limited free time to helping and serving others. From founding a non-profit that helps orphans secure jobs in the workforce to raising funds and awareness for childhood cancer research, the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® nominees may wear different jerseys on the field, but they all exemplify a superior commitment to giving back off of it.
 
“After looking at the bios of the 146 nominees we received for 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, it really shows that there are great football student-athletes all over this country who just don’t care what happens between the sidelines, but they also care about their community and giving back to others,” Todd Berry, AFCA Executive Director said. “The AFCA has been proud to partner with Allstate these past 10 years to honor football players who give more of themselves to help others in need.”
 
Comprised of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA, the final roster of 22 award recipients will be unveiled in September. From the nominees submitted by sports information directors across the nation on behalf of their schools, a special voting panel consisting of former Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^®members and prominent college football media members will select the 2017 Good Works Team^®. Two-time national champion, Heisman Trophy winner and 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® member Tim Tebow will headline the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® voting panel.
 
Once the final team members are announced in September, college football 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 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team^® Captain. Throughout the season, fans can also follow along and join in on the conversation by searching and using #GoodWorksTeam on their social media channels.
 
In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and the AFCA, each player must be actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.