By Jared Shafran
Anthony Orio, senior quarterback for the football team, was named a semifinalist for the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy last week. The Draddy Trophy is given to the one athlete in the nation who is considered to be the best both athletically and academically.
Orio, who graduated summa cum laude in May with a degree in biochemistry, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in applied nutrition at the university. He continues to start at quarterback for the Huskies.
“It feels good when you get awards for football, but I think when you get awards for athletics and academics, there is more satisfaction,” Orio said. “I have always taken pride in getting good grades and doing well in school along with being a good football player. So when you get recognized in situations like this, I think it’s a very satisfying feeling.”
On the field, Orio has started all five games this season, passing for 1,032 yards and six touchdowns.
He is averaging 206 yards per game and is currently first all-time at Northeastern in career completion percentage, fourth in career passing yards and seventh in career passing touchdowns.
Orio is playing out his last season of NCAA eligibility after graduating last spring. He said he wanted to allow himself to go out on a high note, have fun and just worry about football.
“I think I owed it to myself,” Orio said. “My parents love watching me play, and with school behind me, I can worry about going out, having fun and enjoying myself.”
Semifinalists must be nominated by their schools, be either a senior or a graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2, have outstanding football ability as a significant contributor and demonstrate strong leadership and citizenship.
“Just to be nominated and to be a semifinalist for an award like this is very gratifying,” Orio said. “It shows that there are a lot of people out there that take pride in being a student first and also being a good athlete on the field.”
There are a total of 164 semifinalists for the award, but the list will be cut down to 15 finalists by a committee from the National Football Foundation (NFF) Oct. 29.
With a hectic schedule, Orio said the most important thing for him is to follow the routine he sets for himself.
“I am a creature of habit,” Orio said. “I have always done well when I have a set routine and I think that’s paid dividends with my grades.”
Up next on Orio’s plate is medical school. He said he is in the process of applying to schools and he hopes to start in the fall.
“I have always leaned towards being an orthopedic surgeon,” Orio said. “But I am going to keep my options open when I go into medical school. It is something that I will put my entire heart into and hope to be very successful at.”
The winner of the award will receive a trophy and a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship.
All the finalists for the award will be recognized at the NFF College Hall of Fame Awards Dinner Dec. 9. They will also be given $18,000 post-graduate scholarship for making the finalists’ cut. The dinner will be held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City.
The award was established to honor the former chairman of the NFF, Vincent dePaul Draddy, a Manhattan College quarterback who developed the Izod and Lacoste brands.
Notable past winners of the award include Peyton and Eli Manning in 1997 and 2003, respectively, and Chad Pennington, the current quarterback for the Miami Dolphins.
Orio has led the Huskies to a 2-3 overall record this season – so far the Huskies are 1-0 in conference play. Their next game is against UMass this Saturday at Parsons Field at noon, as they look to continue a two-game winning streak and stay atop the Colonial Athletic Association’s North division.
