Hassanein Named Semifinalist for Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year
10/22/2024 10:55:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State defensive end Ahmed Hassanein is one of 20 semifinalists for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award, the organization announced. The award is presented annually to the FBS college football player who demonstrates a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.
Hassanein is a captain for the Broncos and has started all six games at defensive end. He has 6.5 sacks, ranking second in the Mountain West and eighth in the FBS. His average of 1.08 sacks per game is sixth in the nation. The senior leads a Bronco pass rush that leads the country in sacks, totaling 29.
The defensive end was the 2024 MW Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year and secured preseason All-America honors from three outlets. He was also featured on the watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl.
Hassanein was raised in Cairo, Egypt. He moved to California in 2019 and has since become fluent in English and earned recognition as one of the best edge rushers in college football. He was named Academic All-America by College Sports Communicators in 2023 and is a three-time Academic All-MW selection.
In addition to his athletic and academic achievements, Hassanein is a major contributor in the Boise community. He serves on the leadership committee for BroncoBOLD, a mental health initiative that is driven by student-athletes. He also volunteers at local schools, food drives and the juvenile detention center.
Hassanein is one of six semifinalists from a Group of 5 school. Of the six, four represent MW schools. The full list is below.
Jason Barron – Syracuse
Dylan Black – Oregon State
Brady Cook – Missouri
Dontay Coreleon – Cincinnati
Ajani Cornelius – Oregon
Luke Deal – Auburn
Jacob Gardner – Colorado State
Ahmed Hassanein – Boise State
Seth Henigan – Memphis
Isaiah Jacobs – UAB
Jake Majors – Texas
Bru McCoy – Tennessee
Devin Neal – Kansas
Kaimon Rucker – North Carolina
Cody Simon – Ohio State
Logan Taylor – Hawai'i
Dante Trader Jr. – Maryland
Jalon Walker – Georgia
J.J. Weaver – Kentucky
Jackson Woodard – UNLV
Three finalists for the award will be named on Dec. 16. The eighth winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award will be announced on Feb. 12, 2025, at a ceremony in Arlington, Texas.
Boise State returns to action in Las Vegas on Oct. 25. The No. 17/19 Broncos will travel to UNLV for a Friday night MW showdown. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. PT. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Limited single-game tickets remain for the final three home games for as low as $25. Fans can purchase single-game tickets online at BroncoSports.com, over the phone with the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office at (208) 426-4737, or in person at the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office located at the southwest corner of Albertsons Stadium.
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Led by Spencer Danielson in his first full season, Boise State looks to become the first Mountain West program to win back-to-back championships since San Diego State did so in 2015-16. Achieving such a feat will put Boise State in the discussion for the new, expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff format beginning this fall. Last year, Danielson became the first coach in college football history to win a conference championship with an interim title.
For complete coverage of Boise State Football, download the Bronco Sports App or follow the team on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.
--BroncoSports.com--
Hassanein is a captain for the Broncos and has started all six games at defensive end. He has 6.5 sacks, ranking second in the Mountain West and eighth in the FBS. His average of 1.08 sacks per game is sixth in the nation. The senior leads a Bronco pass rush that leads the country in sacks, totaling 29.
The defensive end was the 2024 MW Preseason Co-Defensive Player of the Year and secured preseason All-America honors from three outlets. He was also featured on the watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl.
Hassanein was raised in Cairo, Egypt. He moved to California in 2019 and has since become fluent in English and earned recognition as one of the best edge rushers in college football. He was named Academic All-America by College Sports Communicators in 2023 and is a three-time Academic All-MW selection.
In addition to his athletic and academic achievements, Hassanein is a major contributor in the Boise community. He serves on the leadership committee for BroncoBOLD, a mental health initiative that is driven by student-athletes. He also volunteers at local schools, food drives and the juvenile detention center.
Hassanein is one of six semifinalists from a Group of 5 school. Of the six, four represent MW schools. The full list is below.
Jason Barron – Syracuse
Dylan Black – Oregon State
Brady Cook – Missouri
Dontay Coreleon – Cincinnati
Ajani Cornelius – Oregon
Luke Deal – Auburn
Jacob Gardner – Colorado State
Ahmed Hassanein – Boise State
Seth Henigan – Memphis
Isaiah Jacobs – UAB
Jake Majors – Texas
Bru McCoy – Tennessee
Devin Neal – Kansas
Kaimon Rucker – North Carolina
Cody Simon – Ohio State
Logan Taylor – Hawai'i
Dante Trader Jr. – Maryland
Jalon Walker – Georgia
J.J. Weaver – Kentucky
Jackson Woodard – UNLV
Three finalists for the award will be named on Dec. 16. The eighth winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award will be announced on Feb. 12, 2025, at a ceremony in Arlington, Texas.
Boise State returns to action in Las Vegas on Oct. 25. The No. 17/19 Broncos will travel to UNLV for a Friday night MW showdown. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. PT. The game will be televised nationally on CBS Sports.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS
Limited single-game tickets remain for the final three home games for as low as $25. Fans can purchase single-game tickets online at BroncoSports.com, over the phone with the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office at (208) 426-4737, or in person at the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office located at the southwest corner of Albertsons Stadium.
WAKE UP TO THE LATEST BRONCO NEWS
Get the latest news from Bronco Nation delivered to your inbox every morning! Delivered every weekday, Good Morning, Bronco Nation is a daily email full of the latest news, fun information, weekly schedules, stats and a daily trivia question. Click here to sign up today!
Led by Spencer Danielson in his first full season, Boise State looks to become the first Mountain West program to win back-to-back championships since San Diego State did so in 2015-16. Achieving such a feat will put Boise State in the discussion for the new, expanded, 12-team College Football Playoff format beginning this fall. Last year, Danielson became the first coach in college football history to win a conference championship with an interim title.
For complete coverage of Boise State Football, download the Bronco Sports App or follow the team on social media on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter/X.
--BroncoSports.com--
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