Allstate, AFCA announce 2026 Good Works Crew nominees acknowledged for management in neighborhood service

Key Takeaways:

• Allstate and AFCA named 162 student-athletes as nominees for the 2026 Good Works Crew, recognizing faculty soccer gamers who lead by means of neighborhood service, lecturers and athletics.
• This 12 months’s nominees are creating constructive influence of their communities by means of causes starting from maternal well being and youth mentorship to supporting kids with disabilities and veterans.
• For the primary time in this system’s 35-year historical past, a feminine student-athlete is among the many Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew nominees.
• The Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew displays Allstate’s longstanding dedication to supporting student-athletes who strengthen their communities by means of service.

NORTHBROOK, In poor health., July 20, 2026 – Allstate and the American Soccer Coaches Affiliation (AFCA) right this moment named nominees for the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew, recognizing student-athletes and head coaches from each degree of faculty soccer who’re making an influence by means of neighborhood service, educational achievement and management.

For the primary time within the award’s 35-year historical past, a feminine student-athlete is among the many nominees. Gianna Bennett, a kicker at Northwestern Faculty in Iowa, earned a nomination after serving to elevate $40,000 for a maternal well being training marketing campaign that gives expectant mother and father with doubtlessly life-saving info to assist wholesome pregnancies.

What’s the Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew?

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew acknowledges faculty soccer student-athletes who display distinctive dedication to neighborhood service, lecturers and athletics. Established in 1992 and introduced by Allstate since 2008, this system honors gamers who use their platforms to strengthen communities and assist causes vital to them.

What causes are this 12 months’s nominees supporting?

This 12 months’s nominees are tackling a variety of challenges in communities throughout the US and past. Their efforts embody youth mentorship, maternal well being consciousness, incapacity inclusion, childhood most cancers analysis, clear water entry and assist for army veterans.

Examples embody:

• Gideon Davidson, Clemson College, Operating Again: Raised practically $13,000 by means of Gid’s Fundraiser for Flourish Adoption Ministries in South Carolina, serving to fund adoption-related bills for households and assist for start moms.
• Noah Fifita, College of Arizona, Quarterback: Based First Down Religion Basis to honor religion, household and soccer whereas uplifting communities by means of service, together with an annual youth soccer camp that mixes abilities coaching with mentorship.
• Jaylen McClain, Ohio State College, Defensive Again: Based On a regular basis Legends Basis to empower youth and households by means of service, together with funding educational and athletic scholarships and organizing management improvement applications for youth.
• Sam Nolan, Saint John’s College (Minnesota), Vast Receiver: Organized group fundraising occasions for St. Jude Kids’s Analysis Hospital, serving to elevate greater than $150,000 to assist kids battling cancers and different life-threatening illnesses.
• Luke Paulsen, Morningside College, Punter: Created a “Youngsters Captain” program that gives significant gameday experiences for kids with disabilities and their households, together with main the group onto the sphere at residence video games.
• Marcus Ratcliffe, Texas A&M College, Security: Launched Mission 3:12 in partnership with Stroll Amongst Heroes, donating $312 for each Aggie defensive turnover to fund academic journeys to Normandy, France, for World Conflict II veterans.
• Mudia Reuben, College of South Florida, Vast Receiver: Used Title, Picture and Likeness (NIL) earnings to create the Nigerian Water Venture, bringing entry to wash water to villages and faculties in Nigeria.
• Colin Simmons, College of Texas, Defensive Finish: Based Clay’s Colour Crew, a nonprofit honoring his youthful brother that helps people and households affected by autism spectrum dysfunction (ASD) in South Dallas and past.
• Edwin Spillman, College of Tennessee, Linebacker: Used NIL earnings to determine the Wan Famul Basis to assist folks in his residence nation of Sierra Leone, together with plans to construct housing for households in want.

What makes the 2026 nominee class distinctive?

From head coaches constructing cultures of service to student-athletes making an influence in their very own communities and world wide, this 12 months’s nominees are creating significant change. Their efforts embody serving to elevate a file $18.8 million for childhood most cancers analysis, delivering greater than 10,000 hours of tutoring and producing over $27,000 for World Conflict II veterans.

How is the Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew chosen?

The 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew can be introduced in September and embody 22 student-athletes and one honorary head coach. One student-athlete may also be chosen as group captain and obtain the Allstate Wuerffel Trophy.

A variety panel composed of former Good Works Crew members, faculty soccer coaches, journalists and different leaders related to the award evaluations nominations from throughout the nation. Voters consider candidates primarily based on the breadth and depth of their neighborhood service, demonstrated management, educational achievement and the measurable influence they’ve had on the folks and causes they serve. The panel then selects 11 NCAA Soccer Bowl Subdivision gamers (FBS), 11 gamers from the NCAA Soccer Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the Nationwide Affiliation of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) ranks, and one honorary head coach.

Who’re the 2026 Allstate AFCA Good Works Crew nominees?

The 2026 nominee class contains student-athletes and coaches from each degree of faculty soccer competitors.

• 175 whole nominees, together with 113 FBS gamers, 49 student-athletes from the FCS, Divisions II, III and NAIA ranks, and 13 head coach nominees.
• First feminine nominee in this system’s 35-year historical past.
• Large Ten leads all conferences with 21 nominees, adopted by the ACC with 16. The SEC and Large 12 every have 15 nominees.

The complete 2026 nominee class is listed beneath in alphabetical order by college.

Soccer Bowl Subdivision (FBS)

Mixed Divisions (FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA)

Head Coach

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