Colorado School of Mines’ David Pesek has been named to the list of 106 student-athletes nominated for the 2009 Allstate/American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

The Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team, which honors college football players who make outstanding contributions in the areas of volunteerism and civic involvement, is now in its 18th year of existence. From the 106 nominees, a special voting panel consisting of former Good Works Team members and prominent college football media members will be responsible for selecting two 11-player Good Works Teams. One team will be composed of players from the NCAA football bowl subdivision, Division I-A, while the other will be made up of players from the NCAA Football Championship subdivision, Divisions II and III, and the NAIA.

The Allstate/AFCA Good Works Teams were established in 1992 by the College Football Association to recognize the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff on and off the field. The AFCA became the governing body of the award in 1997 and continues to honor college football players who go the extra mile for those in need. Allstate partnered to present the award for the first time in 2008.

The Allstate / AFCA Good Works Teams will be announced sometime during the 2009 college football season. The date is yet to be determined.

A 6-foot-3 inch, 200-pound senior quarterback from Centennial, and an Arapahoe High School graduate, Pesek is one of 54 nominees from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision and is the only nominee from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

In June of 2008, Pesek traveled to Afghanistan with eight other men from his church to embark upon a seven-day goodwill trip in the refugee camp of Barek Aub. In 2007, the Afghan government relocated more than 600 families of refugees from Kabul to Barek Aub, which lacks a reliable water source and is surrounded by landmines. Pesek’s group traveled 36 hours across 17 countries and 10 time zones in an effort to support Barek Aub’s need for construction, health care and education. Barek Aub, or “fragile water” in the native Dari language, is a bare and inhospitable area located approximately one hour north of Kabul.

“I think that each one of us learned something from the hope and optimism painted on the faces of the Barek Aub children,” Pesek said. “I became part of a strong family there, and although I came home in one piece physically, I left my heart to the people of Afghanistan.”

Pesek, who was one of seven Orediggers named to the 2009 Pre-Season All-RMAC team earlier this month, was also selected as the 2009 Pre-Season RMAC Offensive Player of the Year.

Pesek garnered First Team All-RMAC and NFF All-Colorado honors while starting all 12 contests at quarterback as a junior in 2008. Last season, Pesek finished first in the RMAC in total offense (244.2 yards per game) and second in passing (222.7 yards per game), completion percentage (63.9) and passing yards (2,672). A two-time RMAC Offensive Player of the Week selection in 2008, Pesek completed 243-of-380 passes and threw for an RMAC-second-best 21 touchdowns last fall.

As a sophomore in 2007, Pesek earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC recognition while leading the RMAC in total offense (247.0 yards per game) and passing (243.9 yards per game).

The Orediggers went 7-2 in the RMAC last fall and secured their seventh winning season in the past eight years (8-4 overall).