July 24, 2012
NORMAL, Ill. - Illinois State junior fullback and pre-season All-America candiate Jordan Neukirch was recognized Tuesday for his dedication on the field and in the classroom, when he was named the Herschel O. Brock Endowed Scholarship recipient for the 2012-13 academic year.
Neukirch is the fifth recipient of the endowment, which was established in 2008 by the Brock family. Last year, Neukirch was named the recipient of the W.E. Ruebush Endowed Scholarship at ISU.
The Herschel O. Brock Endowed Scholarship is presented annually to a Redbird male student-athlete who carries at least a 3.0 grade-point average (GPA). Brock lived in Bloomington, Ill., for 50 years and was a dedicated community leader and businessman. Throughout his life, he maintained close relationships with several Illinois State head coaches and was a loyal friend of Redbird Athletics.
"Jordan is a very well-rounded individual and is the type of player we like in our program here at Illinois State," football head coach Brock Spack said. "He's a good student, a great person and he has been a great example of what we expect out of our players. Jordan is well-respected among his teammates, because he works hard on and off the field and handles his responsibilities with great character and dedication."
Neukirch was a 2011 All-MVFC Second-Team selection at fullback for the Redbirds. The Algonquin, Ill., native played in all 11 games, with five starts, and helped the Redbirds rush for 183.4 yards per game, up from 131 yards per game in 2010. He was the primary lead blocker for Ashton Leggett, who rushed for 1,031 yards and 11 touchdowns and became the first Redbird back to rush for over 1,000 yards since 2006.
In addition, Neukirch was a vital member of the protection team that only allowed six sacks and ranked No. 3 in the country in sacks allowed. He finished the season with four receptions for 40 yards and was a standout on special teams with seven tackles. In the classroom, Neukirch maintains at 3.23 GPA in business administration.
"I'm humbled that coach Spack and the Brock family have honored me with this endowment," Neukirch said. "It makes me feel that all the hard work I put in on and off the field is appreciated and respected. I take a lot of pride in my work ethic on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom. To see that being noticed in this way makes me want to work harder and continue to achieve my goals of helping this team win championships and me earning my degree."
The Herschel O. Brock Endowed Scholarship is one of 24 endowed scholarships available to Illinois State student-athletes that are funded by private donors. For more information about establishing an endowed scholarship, please call the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund office at (309) 438-3803.
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