From University of Chicago Athletics

University of Chicago senior football player Tim Veselik was named as a nominee for the 2016 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team on July 13.

A total of 165 football players from all levels of the NCAA and NAIA were nominated for the Good Works Team, which celebrates its 25th-year anniversary. Starting in 1992, the Good Works Team seeks to recognize student-athletes who are actively involved with a charitable organization or service group while maintaining a strong academic standing.

Veselik is an economics major entering his senior season at UChicago. From his outside linebacker position, Veselik started all 10 games for the Maroons in 2015 and has appeared in every Maroon game over the past two seasons. He finished the 2015 season with 58 tackles and was one of two Maroons to force a fumble, recover a fumble, and record a sack and an interception. In an October game at Rhodes College, Veselik totaled a career-high 10 tackles. The senior has been named to the University Athletic Association (UAA) All-Academic team in each of the past two years (3.30 cumulative GPA minimum).

Veselik has also been active with volunteer service in the community. In May 2015, he organized and oversaw a Flag Football Tournament that raised almost $3,000 from participants and sponsors to donate to the Dana Farber Institute for Cancer Research. He has planned and participated in trips to the St. Thomas of Canterbury soup kitchen with 15 other members to help serve and prepare food. Veselik is also involved with Project Rousseau at UChicago, where he mentors a local high school student on a weekly basis. The purpose of the program is to assist the mentee with high school academics, provide information about opportunities to get involved in the community, and act as a friend to help with day-to-day struggles. The senior also organized a volunteer opportunity for 30 fellow students to work security and assist with preparation and clean up for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge. The annual event is a primary fundraiser for the Special Olympics each spring.

In honor of the 25th anniversary, Allstate and the AFCA will add three additional spots to this year's team and announce a final roster of 25 members in September. The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team will be comprised of 12 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, 12 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA and an honorary head coach.

Last year, UChicago football alumnus Vincent Beltrano was one of 22 college football players named to the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Beltrano received an invitation to attend the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day, where the Good Works Team was recognized at halftime of the game.