OUTLAND TROPHY AWARD DINNER

SCHEDULED FOR JANUARY 12, 2012

Omaha, NE. (November 2, 2011) - For the 15th consecutive year, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) has awarded Omaha the Outland Trophy Award Dinner presentation. This Year the Outland Trophy Award Dinner is proud to announce as their New Emcee Greg Sharpe (voice of the Huskers) and it will be held here in Omaha Thursday, January 12, 2012 at the Downtown Doubletree.

The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards will be televised Thursday, Dec. 8, from 7-9 p.m. on ESPN, where this year's Outland Award winner will be announced. This year’s winner and his coach will be in attendance at the Dinner on January 12th.

The FWAA awarded the Outland Trophy Award Dinner to the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in 1997. Since that time the Sports Committee has presented the Outland Trophy to Aaron Taylor –NU (’97), Kris Farris –UCLA (’98), Chris Samuels –Alabama (’99), John Henderson –University of Tennessee (2000), Bryant McKinnie –University of Miami (2001), Rien Long –Washington State University (2002), Robert Gallery - University of Iowa (2003), Jammal Brown – University of Oklahoma (2004), Greg Eslinger - University of Minnesota (2005) - Joe Thomas, University of Wisconsin (2006), Glenn Dorsey, Louisiana State University (2007), Andre Smith, University of Alabama (2008), Ndamukong Suh, University of Nebraska (2009) and last year to Gabe Carimi, University of Wisconsin.

Since the Outland Trophy winners from 1946 through 1989, did not receive the authentic Outland Trophy, Downtown Rotary has presented Authentic Outland Trophies to the following past recipients: George Connor, Notre Dame, the first recipient (’46); Larry Jacobson, NU (’71); Rich Glover, NU (’72); Dave Rimington, NU, (’81-’82); Dean Steinkuhler, NU (’83); Mark May, University of Pittsburgh (’80); Chad Hennings, Air Force Academy (’87); Joe Steffy, West Point Military Academy (’47), Ron Yary, USC (’67), Bill Fischer, Notre Dame (’48), Lee Roy Selmon, Oklahoma (’75), J.D. Roberts, Oklahoma (’53), John Hicks, Ohio State (’73), last year to Mike McGee, Duke ('59), and this year will be Bobby Bell, University of Minnesota ('62).

Also appearing at the dinner for the 14th straight year will be the winners of Nebraska's football senior awards Tom Novak Trophy, given annually to the senior who “best exemplifies courage and determination despite all odds.” Guy Chamberlin Trophy, which goes to the senior “who has shown by his play on and off-field contributions to the betterment of the Nebraska football squad in the tradition of Guy Chamberlin” and Cletus Fischer Native Son Award, given annually by the coaches to the player who “best exemplifies good work ethic, competitiveness, leadership, pride and love of Nebraska”.

The event gets underway Thursday, January 12th at 7:00 p.m. at the downtown DoubleTree Hotel.

The Greater Omaha Sports Committee, founded in 1977, is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, consisting of more than 200 men and women from the City of Omaha and the State of Nebraska. The membership serves to communicate, develop, initiate and promote sports activities in the Greater Omaha sports area.

For Additional Information, Contact:

Bob Mancuso, Chairman * Outland Trophy Award Dinner

7015 Spring Street, Omaha, NE 68106-3518

(402) 346-8003 * Fax (402) 346-5412 * info@showofficeonline.com * www.showofficeonline.com