Ben Christensen of Chicago Named Finalist for NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards

Ben Christensen of Chicago Named Finalist for NFF National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards

From University of Chicago Athletics

University of Chicago football player Ben Christensen was selected as a finalist for the 2016 National Football Foundation (NFF) National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards on Tuesday.

A total of 36 finalists were named from across the country, divided into five geographical regions. All 36 are currently playing college football and graduated high school in the class of 2016. The award highlights football players who have achieved significant accomplishments as athletes, scholars and citizens at the high school level.

Christensen is a freshman defensive lineman for Maroons and hails from Frankfort, Ill. He went to high school at Lincoln-Way East and was nominated by the NFF Chicago Metro Chapter. He is one of nine Midwest Region nominees.

As a senior at Lincoln-Way East, Christensen totaled 54 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and nine sacks. He received All-State, All-Area and All-Conference honors during high school career. Christensen was also Academic All-State and earned the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award.

One honoree from each of the five regions will be selected by the NFF's national committee to travel to New York City for the NFF Chapter Awards Luncheon and the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 6 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The five names will be announced during the week of Oct. 3. This marks the 26th year of the National High School Scholar-Athlete Awards, which began in 1991.