RYAN COFFEY TO RECEIVE NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION
HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD
On November 5, 2007, the National Football Foundation & College
Hall of Fame (NFF) announced the selection of five exceptional individuals as
the best and the brightest in the country for their accomplishments as athletes,
scholars and citizens, naming them as the NFF National High School
Scholar-Athletes for 2007. Among them was Wesleyan freshman Ryan Coffey
'11, a member of the Cardinals' football squad which just completed its
season with a 4-4 record.
Coffey played in each of Wesleyan's eight contests in
2007 and posted three tackles from his spot on the defensive line.
The NFF, in its announcement of the awards
banquet held Tues., Dec. 4 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City,
qualified Coffey with the following acclaim -
"A standout in the classroom as well in the arena of
athletics, Ryan Coffey truly exemplified the phrase 'student-athlete' during his
highly successful career at Burrillville (R.I.) High School.
"Compiling an impressive 4.2 grade point average on a
4.0 scale, Ryan, ranked second in his class of 199. His work in the classroom
earned him an AP Scholar Award, the Rensselaer Medal, the prestigious Bausch &
Lomb Science Award and the Harvard Book Award. Vice president of his senior
class, he was a member of the National Honor Society, the Student Technology
Association and the Dead Poet's Society. Additionally, Burrillville High School
named him their Most Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year and the school's
Most Outstanding Spanish and English Student.
"On the gridiron, Ryan's competitive sprit produced
similar accolades to his classroom exploits. A 6-foot- 2 and 260 pounds
offensive tackle and defensive end was a First-Team All-District and First-Team
All-State selection during his senior campaign. A member of Providence Journal
All-State football team, he complied 49 solo tackles, six sacks, and two blocked
kicks in 10 games his senior year.
"A three-time All-League Academic Team member, The
Providence Gridiron Club honored him as Team MVP. An all-round athlete, Coffey
became a staple on Burrillville hockey team as a four-year starter and on the
baseball team as a three-year starter, earning Gatorade Rookie of the Year Award
on both squads and All-Division again in both sports his senior year. In his
senior year, he led the baseball team to the state championship as the
tournament's MVP.
" 'Ryan tore his ACL in his junior year, and after
sevens months of rehabilitation he was back on the field,' said Rhode Island
Chapter President Emo DiNitto. 'This speaks volumes about his determination and
tenacity. Ryan is in the top five of all the Golden Dozen scholar-athletes that
we have recognized in the past 20 years.'
"Despite his busy schedule of class work and athletics, Ryan
found time for additional extracurricular activities. As a senior he acted, sang
and danced in the school's annual Christmas Play. He served as a waiter for
church dinners at the St. Joseph's Church and volunteered for the Technology
Student Association's Senior Ball. Ryan also held several jobs during his high
school career, including delivering newspapers, serving as a dishwasher and
member of the wait staff at a local retirement center and working at a local
Subway restaurant.
"The energetic Coffey currently attends Wesleyan
University in Middletown, Conn., and is playing football for the Cardinals."
