• Complete Doris Robinson Award Release
Tennessee Tech linebacker
Josh Poplar was named one of 13 finalists nationally for the 2018 STATS FCS Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award.
Named after the late school teacher and wife of legendary coach Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson, the fourth annual award is presented to an FCS student-athlete who excels not only in the classroom, but in the community and beyond.
The award has twice been won by OVC student-athletes, including Jacksonville State's Dalton Screws (2015) and Eastern Kentucky's Tyler Swafford (2016). STATS will announce the winner on Monday and honor him at the FCS Awards Banquet and Presentation Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas - on the eve of the national championship game.
Poplar graduated with a 3.97 GPA in business administration and currently working on his Master’s Degree as a MBA candidate. In the classroom he is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, has also earned the OVC Academic Medal of Honor (for having a 4.0 GPA during a school year) and OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll honors. Last year he earned the OVC Scholar-Athlete Award, given annually to just six student-athletes (3 male, 3 female) and considered the most prestigious award an OVC student-athlete can earn.
He is a nominee for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award. In August 2017 Poplar suffered a stroke, which led to the discovery of a hole in his heart that required surgery. He had the successful surgery and missed the entire 2017 season (More on his story:
https://on.ncaa.com/2zUHtNI). But he returned to the field in 2018 to start every game and record 101 tackles (5th-most in the OVC and 26th nationally). Away from campus he has interned with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter and volunteered his time at local elementary schools and working with an annual Kid’s Football Clinic. He is also active with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Association for Information Technology Professionals.
Finalists for Doris Robinson Award
Big Sky Conference: Reggie Tilleman, Montana, DE, R-Sr. (business administration and finance degree, 3.90 GPA)
Big South Conference: Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State, QB, R-Sr. (sport management degree, 3.90)
CAA Football: Christopher Infantino, Stony Brook, OL, Sr. (degree in biology with a specialization in neuroscience and psychology, 3.31)
Ivy League: Jesper Horsted, Princeton, WR, Sr. (sociology major, 3.52)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Nick Leverett, North Carolina Central, OL, R-Jr. (criminal justice degree, 3.37)
Missouri Valley Football Conference: Easton Stick, North Dakota State, QB, R-Sr. (sport management degree, 3.916)
Northeast Conference: Matt Fitzpatrick, Duquesne, OL, R-Sr. (finance degree, 3.79)
Ohio Valley Conference: Josh Poplar, Tennessee Tech, LB, R-Jr. (business administration degree, 3.97)
Patriot League: Alex Pechin, Bucknell, P, Sr. (biomedical engineering and management for engineers double major, 3.93)
Pioneer Football League: Tucker Yinger, Dayton, RB, R-Sr. (mechanical engineering major, 3.81)
Southern Conference: Alex Trotter, Chattanooga, RB, Sr. (mechanical engineering major, 3.29)
Southland Conference: Adrian Contreras, Sam Houston State, S, Sr. (business administration/accounting degree, 3.84)
Southwestern Athletic Conference: De’Arius Christmas, Grambling State, LB, Sr. (engineering technology major, 3.82)
The Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award finalists:
Big Sky Conference: Reggie Tilleman, Montana, DE, R-Sr. (business administration and finance degree, 3.90 GPA)
Big South Conference: Chandler Burks, Kennesaw State, QB, R-Sr. (sport management degree, 3.90)
CAA Football: Christopher Infantino, Stony Brook, OL, Sr. (degree in biology with a specialization in neuroscience and psychology, 3.31)
Ivy League: Jesper Horsted, Princeton, WR, Sr. (sociology major, 3.52)
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference: Nick Leverett, North Carolina Central, OL, R-Jr. (criminal justice degree, 3.37)
Missouri Valley Football Conference: Easton Stick, North Dakota State, QB, R-Sr. (sport management degree, 3.92)
Northeast Conference: Matt Fitzpatrick, Duquesne, OL, R-Sr. (finance degree, 3.79)
Ohio Valley Conference: Josh Poplar, Tennessee Tech, LB, R-Jr. (business administration degree, 3.97)
Patriot League: Alex Pechin, Bucknell, P, Sr. (biomedical engineering and management for engineers double major, 3.93)
Pioneer Football League: Tucker Yinger, Dayton, RB, R-Sr. (mechanical engineering major, 3.81)
Southern Conference: Alex Trotter, Chattanooga, RB, Sr. (mechanical engineering major, 3.29)
Southland Conference: Adrian Contreras, Sam Houston State, S, Sr. (business administration/accounting degree, 3.84)
Southwestern Athletic Conference: De'Arius Christmas, Grambling State, LB, Sr. (engineering technology major, 3.82)
Also at the national banquet, STATS will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year) and Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year).