Community Service, Classroom Diligence Underscore Zach Frazier’s Career At West Virginia

When it is comes to his galore organization work endeavors, Zach Frazier’s favourite is visiting a children’s hospital. He enjoys seeing smiles connected nan faces of youngsters, galore of whom are successful a difficult authorities of health. He loves mingling pinch nan young boys and girls, who service arsenic a reminder of really fortunate he is.

“A batch of times, visiting them astir apt helps maine much than it does them,” he said. “It gives maine position that my life is not bad.”

Not only is Frazier’s life not bad, but nan elder halfway astatine West Virginia has thrived connected and disconnected nan gridiron acknowledgment to his diligence and dedication to his teammates, successful nan schoolroom and successful nan community.

People passim assemblage shot person noticed Frazier’s effort successful Morgantown, which is underscored by being 1 of 16 finalists for nan Campbell Trophy, 1 of 20 semifinalists for nan Jason Witten Collegiate Man of nan Year Award and a nominee for nan Wuerffel Trophy.

The Campbell Trophy, often referred to arsenic nan world Heisman, is awarded to assemblage football’s apical scholar-athlete. The victor will beryllium named December 5.

The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of nan Year Award, named aft nan apt Hall of Fame tight extremity who attended Tennessee and caught much than 1,200 passes successful a 17-year NFL career, goes to nan individual who demonstrates a precocious level of characteristic and leadership. Three finalists will beryllium revealed December 13 pinch nan victor announced successful February.

The Wuerffel Trophy, named for erstwhile Florida backmost Danny Wuerffel, honors student-athletes dedicated to helping others. Finalists will beryllium announced November 28 pinch nan victor revealed December 7.

“It’s a awesome honor, first,” said Frazier, who has fixed overmuch of his clip to nan community, including nan WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital and section schools while serving arsenic a personnel of nan Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “I person ever loved giving backmost to nan organization that I grew up in. I grew up successful West Virginia and I grew up a instrumentality first, truthful I knew what West Virginia shot meant to nan metropolis and nan state. I deliberation that is my passion.”

The Fairmont, W.V. native’s passion has resulted in, but surely not constricted to, world nickname that includes Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll and respective All-Big 12 honors for his capacity arsenic 1 of nan nation’s apical violative linemen.

When it comes to making nan grades successful nan schoolroom and connected nan shot field, Frazier was not lacking for domiciled models pinch mother, Heather, and father, Ray, some having careers successful education. Ray, who was an violative lineman astatine Fairmont State and coached precocious schoolhouse football, is presently nan main astatine a method schoolhouse not acold from nan family home.

“I ever wanted to do bully successful school, to make my parents proud,” said Frazier, who was joined successful May and is scheduled to complete his undergraduate studies successful athletics guidance successful December. “My parents emphasized doing bully successful school, but astatine nan aforesaid clip they ne'er pressured maine astir getting definite grades. They were not difficult connected me, but made judge I did my work.”

Frazier would for illustration to stay connected to nan sport, aliases athletics successful general, successful a activity position. That whitethorn person to hold arsenic nan elder is often referenced arsenic nan apical halfway successful nan 2024 draft.

“Somewhere down nan statement I would for illustration to coach astatine a precocious schoolhouse aliases beryllium an diversion director, which is astir apt what I would usage my grade for,” said Frazier, who noted his grandfather connected his mother’s side, a ember miner and authorities champion wrestler, has been a awesome power on pinch his parents.

The grandfather, Don Courtney, had 3 sons who were besides authorities title wrestlers. Courtney and his sons each won titles astatine Fairmont Senior High School, which Frazier attended. In fact, nan 6-foot-3, 310-pound Frazier was a four-time heavyweight authorities champ and mislaid each of 2 matches successful his precocious schoolhouse career.

“I ever admired really my grandfather went astir his work,” he said. “He was a large power connected maine increasing up.”

Given his family background, it is nary astonishment Frazier remained successful nan Mountain State erstwhile it came clip to be college. He and his begetter often watched nan Mountaineers connected tv and attended games astatine Ray’s alma mater, truthful assemblage shot was thing he grew up with.

In particular, Frazier enjoyed watching WVU backmost Geno Smith, all-purpose threat Tavon Austin and receiver Stedman Bailey carve up opposing defenses a small much than a decade ago. Given his roots and who he rooted for, it is nary astonishment Frazier ended up successful Morgantown, astir 20 miles northeast of Fairmont.

“I considered different schools, but I ever knew successful my bosom I was going to West Virginia,” said Frazier, who enjoys woodworking successful what small spare clip he has. “It would person been difficult for maine to spell location else.”

It has been difficult for those moving successful and astir assemblage shot not to announcement nan outstanding profession Frazier has had successful Morgantown. Hence, it would travel arsenic nary astonishment if he is nan recipient of astatine slightest 1 of nan aforementioned awards. Not that he needs to triumph an grant to validate his impactful 4 years astatine WVU.

“I deliberation my profession astatine West Virginia has gone amended than I could person imagined,” he said. “I americium very thankful for that. It’s been a dream travel true.”