NORTHBROOK, Ill.
— University of Michigan football fifth-year senior punter Zoltan Mesko (Twinsburg, Ohio/Twinsburg) is one of the 116 student-athletes nominated for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, which honors college football players who make outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement. From these nominees, a special voting panel consisting of former Good Works team members and prominent college football media members will be responsible for selecting two 11-player Good Works teams — one composed of players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and a combined team representing players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Divisions II, III and the NAIA. Mesko graduated with a degree in marketing and finance last spring after maintaining a 3.61 GPA. He is currently working on a master’s degree in sport management. During the academic year, Mesko visits the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children and Women’s Hospital every Thursday evening as one of his many off-the-field community service projects. He was also a three-time participant in the U-M Football Carr’s Wash for Kids charity event that helped raise money for the building of new children’s hospital and has been counselor every year at the U-M Women’s Football Academy, which benefits the university’s comprehensive cancer center. Mesko was a 2008 semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, which honors the nation’s best punter. A first team all-Big Ten selection last year, Mesko led the conference in punting average and finished 19th nationally. Earlier this summer, he was named to the Playboy Magazine All-America team. Joining Mesko on the list are six other Big Ten players, including Jammie Kirlew (Indiana), Julian Vandervelde (Iowa), Kurt Coleman (Ohio State), Stefen Wisniewski (Penn State), Andrew Brewer (Northwestern) and Chris Maragos (Wisconsin). Other notable college football players who accompany Mesko as nominees include Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Tim Tebow (Florida) and Sam Bradford (Oklahoma). Contact: David Ablauf (734) 763-4423
Zoltan Mesko