Mahoney a Finalist for Rare Disease Champion Award

ATLANTA – Syracuse quarterback Zack Mahoney is one of the four finalists for the 2018 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Award. The announcement of the finalists was made by members of the Uplifting Athletes leadership team, including former Orange punter Rob Long, Thursday evening at the College Football Hall of Fame prior to the start of The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.

Now in its 10th year, the Rare Disease Champion Award is presented annually by Uplifting Athletes to a leader in the world of college football who has realized his or her potential to make a positive and lasting impact on the rare-disease community.

The winner will be determined in an online vote and honored at the 2018 Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala on March 9 at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, N.J.

The president of Syracuse's chapter of Uplifting Athletes, Mahoney organized the group's annual "Lift for Life" in 2017. The event raised more than $11,000 to benefit those affected by rare diseases. He also spearheaded this season's touchdown pledge drive versus Central Michigan and teamed with former Orange receiver Amba Etta-Tawo for a fundraiser based on Etta-Tawo's performance in the vertical jump at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.

Mahoney is a member of the Syracuse Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In 2016, he received the ACC Top Six for Service Award for his dedication to serving others and commitment to community outreach programs. Among the many causes and organizations Mahoney has donated his time to are the CNY Football Academy, St. Baldrick's Foundation and Special Olympics. In addition, he is a frequent guest speaker at local elementary schools.

The Syracuse chapter of Uplifting Athletes was started in 2013 in honor of Long, who was diagnosed in 2010 with Anaplastic astrocytoma, a rare form of brain cancer. Long made a full recovery and now works as the director of development for Uplifting Athletes. He and Uplifting Athletes Executive Director Scott Shirley were on hand in Atlanta for the announcement of this year's Rare Disease Champion finalists.

Previous winners of the Rare Disease Champion Award include American Football Coaches Association Executive Director Grant Teaff (2009), Dickinson College quarterback Ian Mitchell (2010), Princeton running back Jordan Culbreath (2011), Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (2012), Penn State offensive lineman Eric Shrive (2013), Nebraska fullback C.J. Zimmerer (2014), Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates (2015), USC long snapper Jake Olson (2016) and Iowa State defensive end Mitchell Meyers (2017).

For more information about the award and to vote on the finalists, visit: www.upliftingathletes.org/rare-disease-champion

2018 Rare Disease Champion Award Finalists
Jaqwis Dancy, Louisiana Tech
Shaquem Griffin, UCF
Zack Mahoney, Syracuse
Casey O'Brien, Minnesota

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Syracuse University Athletics

Mahoney a Finalist for Rare Disease Champion Award

Players Mentioned

Zack Mahoney

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