Cal Football

Marcel Dancy Selected For AllState AFCA Good Works Team®

By Cal Athletics

September 12, 2019

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NORTHBROOK, Ill. – Cal junior running back Marcel Dancy was named Thursday to the prestigious 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® as announced by Allstate Insurance Company and the American Football Coaches Association of America with the assistance of an esteemed voting panel including Kirk Herbstreit and Tim Tebow. The final team of 22 players and one honorary coach were selected from a list of 137 nominees for their leadership in local communities and overall commitment to giving back.

Dancy, an Oakland native, volunteers his time as a certified youth football coach for the Oakland Dynamites Youth Football and Cheer organization in East Oakland. The Dynamites' organization aims to provide youth with a quality program committed to mentoring them with life skills through the fundamentals of football, cheer, sportsmanship, health and wellness, and building of team character in an effort to further their development as future leaders of the community.

"I'm truly grateful to be selected for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®," Dancy said. "I have to thank the University of California for nominating me for this prestigious award, and not only recognizing the work that the Dynamites and myself are doing for the youth in Oakland, but actually coming out and helping us in our efforts to grow these young people through the sport of youth football. I also want to thank my mother and father for instilling in me the each one teach one mentality. That's what it's really all about, helping these young people grow and become the best they can possibly be."

"Marcel is passionate about working with young people and giving back to the community," Cal head coach Justin Wilcox said. "He is a tremendous role model to anyone looking to succeed in life and an inspiration to so many. I'm so happy for him that he is being honored for his good works."

On the field at Cal, Dancy is coming off arguably the most productive game of his career when he rushed seven times for 72 yards and both of the Golden Bears' touchdowns all in the second half of last Saturday's 20-19 win at No. 14/12 Washington. He has 104 yards rushing on 12 carries with the two touchdowns over Cal's first two games in 2019.

The 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® is comprised of 11 players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, a combined 11 players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III and the NAIA, and one honorary head coach.

"I've had the privilege of not only being a member of the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, but also witnessing firsthand how these young men are able to inspire and ultimately change the lives of those around them," said Tebow, who was a member of the 2009 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. "Each year, I'm impressed by the way that Allstate and the AFCA share the important stories of these players' 'good works,' and I'm honored to be part of such a special program that has become a source of inspiration in the college football community."

The 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® will be invited to the 2020 Allstate® Sugar Bowl® and join Tebow and Allstate volunteers to give back to New Orleans through a special community service project. Allstate will recognize the team during the halftime show.

Fans are invited to visit ESPN.com/Allstate to vote for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team captain once per day now through Nov. 22, 2019. The team captain will be honored Dec. 12 at The Home Depot College Football Awards Show to be televised live by ESPN from the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

Fans can follow along and join the conversation by using #GoodWorksTeam on their social media channels.

Dancy becomes the fourth Cal student-athlete to earn a spot on an Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® following the back-to-back selections of Nick Forbes and Jeffrey Coprich in 2013 and 2014, and Patrick Laird in 2018.

The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992, by the College Football Association, to recognize extra efforts by players and student support staff off the field. AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate became the presenting sponsor starting with the 2008 season.