Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Kevin Mullen Named Draddy Trophy Semifinalist
10/2/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior fullback Kevin Mullen (Export, Pa./Penn-Trafford) has been selected by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame as one of 164 semifinalists across all divisions of college football for the Draddy Trophy, presented by HealthSouth. He is the third Bison in three years to be a semifinalist, following David Frisbey (2006) and Nick Mozal (2007).
Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, semifinalists must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. Established to honor former NFF Chairman Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands, the award comes with a 25-pound bronze trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.
Mullen has started each of Bucknell's three games this season at fullback and has rushed 19 times for 55 yards. A veteran of 34 career games, Mullen has missed just two contests since setting foot on campus in the summer of 2005. He has 11 starts to his credit.
A strong runner, Mullen has piled up 597 yards on the ground in his career and has six rushing touchdowns.
Mullen, who also plays on special teams and has a pair of tackles to his credit this season, is a member of ROTC at Bucknell and has earned the football team's ROTC Award each of the last three years. As a member of ROTC, Mullen is the Battalion Commander at Bucknell, where he is responsible for overseeing 60 cadets from Bucknell, Bloomsburg, Lycoming and Penn Technical Institute.
A two-time game captain in 2008, Mullen has also served as an instructor at the Susquehanna House, where he worked with troubled youth, and he was elected to the leadership council of The Gathering Christian Ministry.
A member of both the Dean's List and the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, Mullen owns a cumulative 3.41 grade-point average while majoring in international relations and religion. He posted a 4.0 grade-point average in the spring 2008 semester.
Mullen was one of 43 semifinalists from the Division I Football Championship Subdivision, and one of only three from the Patriot League, joining Matt Partain from Holy Cross and Lehigh's Brenden Van Ackeren.
Launched in 1959, the NFF scholar-athlete program became the first initiative in history to credit a player for both academic and athletic accomplishments. The Draddy Trophy, first awarded in 1990, adds to the program's mystique, having previously honored two Rhodes Scholars, a Rhodes Scholar finalist and a Heisman winner. The University of Texas's Dallas Griffin was named the 2007 Draddy recipient. This year, the NFF Awards Committee will select and announce up to 15 finalists on Oct. 29. The winner will be announced at the NFF's Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 9 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City.
Mullen is expected to be in the starting lineup for a fourth consecutive game Saturday when the Bison travel to Marist. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. as Bucknell tries to improve to 3-1 for the first time since 2004.
