BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 29, 2007 – Georgia Tech running back Tashard Choice and Fresno State place-kicker Clint Stitser have been named recipients of the 2007 Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl Student Humanitarian Awards.  They received the annual community awards Saturday evening at the Humanitarian Bowl Dinner in Boise, Idaho.

Choice and Stitser were selected by their teammates for their extraordinary contributions to their community and team.  Through it’s partnership with the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, student-athletes from each Humanitarian Bowl team are annually recognized for their outstanding achievements as leaders on the field, on campus and in the community.  Since the Humanitarian Bowl’s inception in 1993, 24 student-athletes have received the award.

Choice (Riverdale, Ga. / Lovejoy H.S.), who earned his degree from Georgia Tech at a December 15th graduation ceremony, excels on and off the field of play.

As one of the all-time great running backs in Georgia Tech history, Choice is the first player since 1999 to lead the ACC in rushing in consecutive years.  In just three years at Georgia Tech, the 6-1, 211-pound back ranks fifth on the all-time career rushing list.  He has run for 28 touchdowns and has 18 100-yard rushing games. His awards include 2007 First Team All-ACC, 2007 First Team All-ACC (Rivals.com) and 2007 Honorable Mention All-America (SI.com).  He was named 2006 Second Team All-ACC, 2006 All-Bowl Team and 2005 ACC All-Academic Team.

Off the field, Choice is a Dean's List student and member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll. Choice, who had his high school jersey retired in November, spends part of his off-seasons umpiring youth baseball games. This fall, he joined the rest of the Yellow Jacket running backs in the Rushing For Rudolph program, helping to raise funds for gifts that will go to needy kids in the Atlanta area.

Fresno State’s Stitser (Reno, Nev. / McQueen H.S.) will be remembered as one of the best all-around student-athletes in Fresno State history and is considered one of the strongest place-kickers in the nation. 

Graduating in May 2007 with a perfect 4.0 GPA, Stitser was the top graduating senior from the Fresno State’s Craig School of Business and is just one semester away from earning an MBA.  For his success in the classroom he was named a finalist for the President’s Medal presented to the top graduating senior at Fresno State.   

On the field, Stitser will finish the 2007 season ranked among the top five in Fresno State’s career scoring record books.  The 6-1, 200-pounder shattered the Bulldog records with his work ethic in the weight room, achieving a maximum bench press of 395 pounds and he can squat over 500 pounds.

On campus he was a member of the Fresno State Athletics Corporation board of Trustees, which has fiduciary and reporting oversight of the university’s athletic department.  Since 2005 he has served with the Fresno State Student-Athlete Advisory Council, where he was named fundraising chairman in 2006 and has worked as a team and university tutor.   

In the community, Stitser is involved as a Read Fresno Drive Coordinator, which promotes reading at elementary schools throughout the city of Fresno.  He was a volunteer reader and speaker at Children’s Hospital Central California Literacy Fair and has contributed his time to the American Cancer Society, D.A.R.E., and Big Heroes-Little Heroes, which builds relationships with sick children and their families.

The Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl Student Humanitarian Awards are sponsored by Dr. George Wade and the Idaho Sports Medicine Institute and presented by the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. 

The 11^th annual Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl kicks-off at 12 p.m. MST (ESPN2), Monday, Dec. 31.

About The World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame

The World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame (www.sportshumanitarian.com), located on the Boise State University campus in Boise, Idaho, recognizes individuals and organizations from the world of amateur and professional athletics who, through their humanitarian efforts, distinguish themselves as role models in the community.

Since 1994 over thirty role models with world-class athletic ability and exceptional humanitarian achievements have been inducted to the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.  Each spring the induction ceremony includes recipients of an annual humanitarian awards program that recognizes community achievement in all corners of the sporting world through its President’s Award, Pro Team Community Award, Don Simplot Idaho Humanitarian Award, the Tradition of Excellence Award presented to a Heisman Trophy winner, and the Nell and John Wooden Humanitarian Lifetime Coaching Achievement Award.  Each year the Hall of Fame, in partnership with Boise’s MPC Computers Bowl, honors a player from each team with its Student Humanitarian Award.  The World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is open weekdays to visitors and humanitarians of all ages.

Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl

Student Humanitarian Award Winners

2007

Georgia Tech, Tashard Choice (RB)

Fresno State, Clint Stitser (PK)

2006

Miami, Khalil Jones (WR)

Nevada-Reno, Matt Hines (DT)

2005

Boise State, Lee Marks (RB), Alex Guerrero (DT)

Boston College, Dan Berglund (LB)  

2004

Virginia, Davon Robb (OT)

Fresno State, Jamal Jones (FB)

2003

Georgia Tech, Nate Curry (WR)

Tulsa James, Kilian (QB)

2002

Boise State, B.J. Rode (QB)

Iowa State, Lane Danielson (WR)

2001

Clemson, Nick Eason (DT)

Louisiana Tech, John Simon (RB)

2000

Boise State, Matt Strohfus (FB)

UTEP, Jeff Seeton (OT), A.J. Sheppard (DB)

1999

Boise State, Jeff Udvarhelvi (TE)

Louisville, Anthony Byrd (OT)

1998

Southern Miss, Lee Roberts (QB)

Idaho, Joel Thomas (RB)

1997

Cincinnati, Fred Ward (DT)

Utah State, London McBride (WR)