McSorely Named Guest Speaker For 27th Awards Dinner
By: Ed Weaver | February 26, 2024 | Photo: Getty Images / The Ringer
STATE COLLEGE, PA – The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame (NFF), Central Pennsylvania Chapter, has selected former Penn State, Big Ten Championship Game MVP and NFL free-agent quarterback Trace McSorely as guest speaker for its 27th scholar-athlete awards dinner. The dinner will be held on Sunday, March 17 at The Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center.
The NFF holds players in high esteem who can achieve success on the field, in the classroom, and as members of the community making McSorely an outstanding choice to serve as this year’s guest speaker. During his senior season at Penn State in 2018 McSorely became the 18th Nittany Lion to be selected as an NFF Scholar-Athlete. He was also a Google Cloud/COSIDA Academic All-District selection and Academic All-Big Ten. McSorely graduated in 2018 with a degree in accounting and is pursuing a second degree in journalism.
As the Nittany Lions starting quarterback from 2016-19, McSorely posted a 31-9 record to help lead the program back to national prominence. In his first season as a starter in 2016 Penn State finished 11-3 winning the Big Ten Championship with McSorely being named the game’s MVP and earning the Nittany Lions a trip to the Rose Bowl. He finished 2016 by throwing for 3,614 yds with 29 TD and added another seven on the ground en route to All-Big Ten Second Team Honors. McSorely and Penn State were even better in 2017, going 11-2 with a 35-28 victory over Washington in the Fiesta Bowl. McSorely was named the game’s MVP with 342 yds. passing and two Td’s. Earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors again in 2017, McSorely threw for 3,570 yds, 28 TD and had a 162.4 rating. With McSorely at the helm for his final season in 2018 Penn State posted a 9-4 mark, earning a berth in the Citrus Bowl.
In 2019 McSorely was a 7th round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL draft. Following two and a half seasons with the Ravens, McSorely has played for the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers.
"The Central Pa Chapter of the National Football Foundation is honored to have Trace McSorely as the guest speaker for our annual scholar-athlete awards dinner," said chapter President Sam Phillips. "College football fans remember his thrilling accomplishments as an award-winning Penn State quarterback and we look forward to hearing his words of wisdom and encouragement."
Since 1998, the Central Pennsylvania Chapter has awarded a total of $296,000 in scholarship money while honoring 1,190 scholar-athletes from high schools and colleges located in its coverage area.
The event is open to the public. Tickets can be purchased by calling (717) 250-5806, or by downloading and mailing in the ticket order form. The cost is $30 per ticket.
The NFF, Central Pennsylvania Chapter is one of 121 chapters nationwide involving over 12,000 members. The wide reach of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter encompasses 25 counties and 96 high schools.
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The NFF & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit education organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship, and athletic achievement in young people.
