Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award

Last updated
Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award
Awarded for"the player who by his conduct on and off the gridiron demonstrates a high esteem for the football code and exemplifies sportsmanship to an outstanding degree."
Location Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Country United States
Presented byGridiron Club of Greater Boston
History
First award1946
Most recentPatrick Witt
Bryant Johnston
Website http://gridclubofgreaterboston.com/awards/swede-nelson-award.html

The Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award is an American college football award given annually by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston to "the player who by his conduct on and off the gridiron demonstrates a high esteem for the football code and exemplifies sportsmanship to an outstanding degree" among northeastern colleges and universities. [1] In 1982, the award was narrowed to the player deemed to be the "very best, and most academically talented, college football player in New England." [1] [2]

Contents

Since 1989, the award has been given annually to two players (with the exception of a single winner in 1996, three winners in 2007 and 2015, and no award given during the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic), one from a Division I football program, and one from a small college. [2]

The award is the fourth oldest collegiate football award in the United States, following the Heisman, Maxwell, and George "Bulger" Lowe trophies. [2]

The award is named after the founder of the Gridiron Club, Nils V. "Swede" Nelson, a former college player at Harvard and coach. Nelson was a member of the unbeaten Harvard football team that defeated Oregon in the 1920 Rose Bowl.

The inaugural winner of the trophy was quarterback Perry Moss of Illinois in 1946. Other notable winners of the award include Doak Walker (1949), Johnny Bright (1951), Floyd Little (1966), Dick Jauron (1971), Otis Armstrong (1972), Tom Waddle (1988), Jay Fiedler (1992), Matt Hasselbeck (1997), Mark Herzlich (2009), Anthony Castonzo (2010), and Zach Allen (2018).

Past winners

YearPlayerPositionSchool
2023Justin Anagonye OL Brown
2023Brady Klein RB MIT
2022Vinny DePalma LB Boston College
2022Tony HooksLB Bates College
2021Peter OliverRB Holy Cross
2021Mike PedriniRB Tufts
2019Jake McIntyre K Harvard
2019Nick BainterOL Springfield College
2018 Zach Allen DL Boston College
2018Joe WilsonOL Wesleyan University
2017Peter Pujals QB Holy Cross
2017Chris HaydenOLSpringfield College
2016Justin Wain P Connecticut
2016Mark UptonLBBates College
2015Brian Strachan WR Brown
2015Anthony Massucci DB Stonehill College
2015Ty SpencerWR Fitchburg State
2014 Tyler Varga RB Yale
2014Danny GuadagnoliQB Bentley University
2013Devin BrownDB UMass
2013Tim GruppOL WPI
2012 Emmett Cleary OLBoston College
2012Ethan PetersonOLMIT
2011Patrick WittQBYale
2011Bryant JohnsonQBBentley
2010 Anthony Castonzo OLBoston College
2010Ryan SchmidDL Coast Guard
2009 Mark Herzlich LBBoston College
2009Alex RubinoDLMIT
2008Andrew BerryDBHarvard
2008James OleinikOLMIT
2007Dan GuarigliaOL Amherst
2007Ryne Nutt C Central Connecticut
2007Steve MorganP/KBrown
2006Ed McCarthyOLYale
2006Brendan FulmerWR/P/K Williams
2005David DiamondOL Bowdoin
2005Nick HartiganRBBrown
2004 Keron Henry WRConnecticut
2004Fletcher LaddRBAmherst
2003Steve FoxOLHoly Cross
2003Greg WoodWR Worcester State
2002Kevin NooneOL Dartmouth
2002Chuck McGrawRBTufts
2001John RichardsonOLBoston College
2001Bob MontgomeryC UMass Lowell
2000 Eric Johnson WRYale
2000Tim McCarthyOL Middlebury
1999 Isaiah Kacyvenski LBHarvard
1999Nicholas KozyOLMIT
1998Matt JordanWRUMass
1998Eric TrumOLTufts
1997 Matt Hasselbeck QBBoston College
1997Daniel LordOLTufts
1996Joseph DeAngelisOL Trinity
1995Tim O'BrienOLBoston College
1995Mike RymshaQBBentley
1994Andre MiksimowOL Boston University
1994Nate SleeperQBWilliams
1993Keith MillerRBBoston College
1993Michael TurmelleDBBowdoin
1992 Jay Fiedler QBDartmouth
1992Roderick TranumWRMIT
1991Paul CapriottiRB Maine
1991Paul OliveiraOLTufts
1990Brad PrebleDBDartmouth
1990Mark KatzOLBowdoin
1989Ben CowanOLBoston University
1989Rich SchachnerRBCoast Guard
1988 Tom Waddle WRBoston College
1987 Gordie Lockbaum RB/DBHoly Cross
1986Stan KaczorowskiOLUMass
1985Guy CarboneOL Rhode Island
1984 Steve Strachan RBBoston College
1983Matt MartinLBHoly Cross
1982John LougheryQBBoston College
1981 Kenny Duckett WR Wake Forest
1980Jerry PierceLBDartmouth
1979Tom BellOL BYU
1978 Rick Leach QB Michigan
1977Roy HeffernanRBMiddlebury
1976 Peter Cronan LBBoston College
1975George NilandOLTrinity
1974Peter GorniewiczRB Colby
1973James StoeckelWRHarvard
1972 Otis Armstrong RB Purdue
1971 Richard Jauron RBYale
1970Renso PerdoniDL Georgia Tech
1969 Steve Smear DL Penn State
1968 Vic Gatto RBHarvard
1967 Brian Dowling QBYale
1966 Floyd Little RB Syracuse
1965Thomas ClarkeOLDartmouth
1964 Arthur Roberts RB Columbia
1963 Bob Cappadona RB Northeastern
1962 Pat Culpepper LB Texas
1961Joseph KowalskiOL Rutgers
1960Alan RozyckiRBDartmouth
1959George RodenQBColby
1958 J.W. Brodnax RB LSU
1957Thomas SalvoOLBoston University
1956 James Swink RB TCU
1955Don Hollender TE Army
1954 Arthur Luppino RB Arizona
1953Don KingQB Clemson
1952Joseph MitingerQBYale
1951 Johnny Bright RB Drake
1950 Bob Williams QB Notre Dame
1949 Doak Walker RB/DB/K SMU
1948Gordon LongOLArkansas
1947 Everett Dorr RBBoston University
1946 Perry Moss QB Illinois

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">College football</span> Collegiate rules version of American/Canadian football, played by colleges and universities

College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football first gained popularity in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heisman Trophy</span> Annual award for the outstanding college football player

The Heisman Memorial Trophy is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in college football and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust in early December. The most recent winner is former LSU Tigers quarterback Jayden Daniels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvard Crimson</span> Intercollegiate athletic teams of Harvard College

The Harvard Crimson is the nickname of the intercollegiate athletic teams of Harvard College. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2013, there were 42 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country. Like the other Ivy League colleges, Harvard does not offer athletic scholarships. Athletics at Harvard began in 1780 when the sophomores challenged the freshmen to a wrestling tournament with the losers buying dinner. Since its historic boat race against archrival Yale in 1852, Harvard has been in the forefront of American intercollegiate sports. Its football team conceived the modern version of the game and devised essentials ranging from the first concrete stadium to a scoreboard to uniform numbers to signals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calcutta Cup</span> Rugby competition between Scotland and England

The Calcutta Cup is the trophy awarded to the winner of the rugby match between England and Scotland played annually in the Six Nations Championship. Like the match itself (England–Scotland), the Calcutta Cup is the oldest trophy contested between any two international rugby union teams, pre-dating the Bledisloe Cup by more than half a century. It is also the oldest of several trophies awarded under the umbrella of the Six Nations Championship, which include the Millennium Trophy (England–Ireland), Centenary Quaich (Ireland–Scotland), Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy (France–Italy), Auld Alliance Trophy (France–Scotland), the Doddie Weir Cup (Scotland–Wales) and the Cuttitta Cup (Italy–Scotland).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvard–Yale football rivalry</span> American football university rivalry

The Harvard–Yale football rivalry is renewed annually with The Game, an American college football match between the Harvard Crimson football team of Harvard University and the Yale Bulldogs football team of Yale University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvard–Yale Regatta</span> Annual rowing race between Harvard University and Yale University in New London, CT, USA

The Harvard–Yale Regatta or Yale-Harvard Boat Race is an annual rowing race between the men's heavyweight rowing crews of Harvard University and Yale University. First contested in 1852, it has been held annually since 1859 with exceptions during major wars fought by the United States and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Race is America's oldest collegiate athletic competition, pre-dating The Game by 23 years. It is sometimes referred to as the "Yale-Harvard" regatta, though most official regatta programs brand it "Harvard-Yale".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beanpot (ice hockey)</span> Annual college ice hockey tournament in Boston

The Beanpot is an annual men's and women's ice hockey tournament among the four major US college hockey teams of the Boston, Massachusetts area. The men's tournament is usually held during the first two Mondays in February at TD Garden and the women's tournament rotates hosts between the four schools. The four teams are the Boston University Terriers, Boston College Eagles, Harvard University Crimson, and Northeastern University Huskies. The men's tournament has been held annually since the 1952–53 season and has been held at its current location since 1996, except for 2021 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Northeastern is the current men's Beanpot champion, having won the 2024 tournament. The women's tournament began in 1979, and Northeastern is the 2024 champion.

The history of American football can be traced to early versions of rugby football and association football. Both games have their origin in multiple varieties of football played in the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century, in which a football is kicked at a goal or kicked over a line, which in turn were based on the varieties of English public school football games descending from medieval ball games.

The Tewaaraton Award is an annual award for the most outstanding American college lacrosse men's and women's players, since 2001. It is the lacrosse equivalent of football's Heisman Trophy. The award is presented by The Tewaaraton Foundation and the University Club of Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Jauron</span> American football player and coach (born 1950)

Richard Manuel Jauron is an American former professional football player and coach in the National Football League (NFL). He played eight seasons in the NFL as a safety, five with the Detroit Lions and three with the Cincinnati Bengals. Jauron served as the head coach the Chicago Bears from 1999 to 2003 and the Buffalo Bills from 2006 until November 2009. He was also the interim head coach for the Lions for the final five games of the 2005 season. Jauron was named the AP Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading the Bears to a 13–3 record.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick Kazmaier</span> American football player (1930–2013)

Richard William Kazmaier Jr. was an American businessman and naval lieutenant. He played college football as a halfback for the Princeton Tigers from 1949 through 1951 and was the winner of the 1951 Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, and the AP Male Athlete of the Year.

John Patrick McInally is an American former football player who was a punter and wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL).

The Lott IMPACT Trophy is presented annually to the college football defensive IMPACT player of the year. IMPACT is an acronym for: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity. The award purports to equally recognize the personal character of the winning player as well as his athletic excellence. The award selection is voted on by members of the national media, previous finalists, the board of directors of the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation. The award is named in honor of College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive back, Ronnie Lott.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports in Boston</span> Historically prominent sports teams in Boston and the Greater Boston area

Boston, Massachusetts, is home to several major professional sports franchises. They include the Red Sox (baseball), the Celtics, and the Bruins. The New England Patriots and the New England Revolution play at Gillette Stadium in nearby Foxborough, Massachusetts. Boston is one of eleven U.S. cities to have teams from the five major American professional team sports.

GeorgeHenry"Bulger"LoweJr. was an American football player, coach, and official. He played professionally as a tackle and end for five seasons with the Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Indians, Providence Steam Roller, and Frankford Yellow Jackets of the National Football League (NFL) and the Boston Bulldogs of the first American Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Herzlich</span> American football player (born 1987)

Mark Herzlich Jr. is an American sports commentator and former professional football player. He played as a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL).

Bob Ritter is a retired American football coach. He was head football coach at Middlebury College, a position he held from the 2001 season to the 2022 season. His career began following the retirement of Mickey Heinecken, and he was replaced by Doug Mandigo. Ritter compiled a 112–61 record and won three New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) championships, in 2007, 2013 and 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonial Clash</span> American college football rivalry

The Colonial Clash was an annual college football rivalry game played between the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) and the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The two teams first played each other in 1897, and met annually from 1952 through 2011. The rivalry was branded as the Colonial Clash beginning in 2010. In 2012, UMass transitioned to the Football Bowl subdivision (FBS) of NCAA Division I, leaving the future of the rivalry in question. In 74 playings, UMass has won 43 games, UNH has won 28 games, and there have been three ties. Beginning with the 1986 playing, the MVP of the game was awarded the Bill Knight Trophy.

Victor Emmanuel Gatto is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Bates College (1973–1977), Tufts University (1978–1984), and Davidson College (1985–1989), compiling a career college football record of 52–92–4. Gatto played college football as a halfback at Harvard University from 1966 to 1968. He won the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award in 1968 and was the team captain in the legendary "Harvard Beats Yale 29-29" game and appears in the 2008 documentary film about this game. Prior to being hired at Bates, Gatto coached football, baseball, and lacrosse at the Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts.

References

  1. 1 2 "McGraw to Receive Gridiron Club's Swede Nelson Award". Tufts University. 2003-01-08. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
  2. 1 2 3 "Bowdoin's Dave Diamond Honored by Gridiron Club of Greater Boston". New England Small College Athletic Conference. 2005-12-30. Archived from the original on 2007-08-14. Retrieved 2007-10-20.