BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - Former University of Massachusetts Dartmouth defensive standout Jacob Burkhead '21 has been named as the Grinold Chapter's Jack Daly Award recipient for Academics, Citizenship & Football. Named in honor of Jack Daly, a Grinold Chapter charter member, the award is presented annually to a college football player at an institution in the Chapter footprint based on academic performance, community service and demonstrated football ability.
A 2021 graduate of UMass Dartmouth who earned a perfect 4.00 grade point average with a degree in Political Science, Burkhead is a former Grinold Chapter Scholar-Athlete Award recipient after excelling in competition, in the classroom and in the community at Plymouth North High School. He is currently seeking his juris doctorate at Boston College Law School.
Burkhead is the only two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree in Corsair history and earned a pair of all-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference first team accolades for his performance on the field. He was named as a semifinalist for the 2020 National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy® Presented By Mazda, which is considered to be the "Academic Heisman".
The 2017 MASCAC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a team tri-captain, Burkhead was one of 59 Division III student-athletes nominated for the 2019 Cliff Harris Award as the nation's top small college defensive player, as he has registered 191 career tackles (133 solo) along with four interceptions and 15 pass breakups in 30 games played. He was named to the school's Chancellor's List throughout his career and was a four-time MASCAC Fall All-Academic team honoree.
Off the field, Jacob was an active member of the UMass Dartmouth community who served on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and participated in activities that include Special Olympics as well as the school's Sharing The Harvest recognition event.
Burkhead is the second Corsair to receive the Daly Award under Head Coach Mark Robichaud's tenure, as former UMass Dartmouth standout offensive lineman Pat Sullivan was tabbed in 2017, the same year as Jacob's selection as a Grinold Chapter Scholar-Athlete.
Kelley, DeFelice & Burkhead will be honored along with 26 high school student-athletes who comprise the 2022 Grinold Chapter Scholar-Athlete class. Tickets are available for this year's dinner, which begins at 5:00 pm, by visiting www.grinoldchapter.com.
