NEW YORK -- For the ninth-straight year, the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame (NFF) has partnered with the Ivy League to co-host the 2018 Asa S. Bushnell Cup Presentation, presented by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. 
 
As part of the festivities surrounding the 61st NFF Annual Awards Dinner, four Ivies will travel to New York City for the press conference and reception, honoring the Ivy League Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, on Monday, Dec. 3, at the Mercury Ballroom of the New York Hilton Midtown. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses returns for a fifth-consecutive year as the presenting sponsor of the event, which will be broadcast live on ESPN+, beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET. 
 
Princeton senior quarterback John Lovett (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Princeton senior wide receiver Jesper Horsted (Shoreview, Minn.) are the Offensive Player of the Year finalists, while Dartmouth junior defensive back Isiah Swann (Queen Creek, Ariz.) and Harvard senior defensive lineman Stone Hart (Olympia, Wash.) are the Defensive Player of the Year finalists. 
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
A three-time First Team All-Ivy pick and the 2016 Asa S. Bushnell Cup winner as the Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year, Lovett returns to New York City as a Bushnell Cup finalist following his senior campaign. The quarterback tallied 894 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground—the second-most in the League—while concluding his collegiate career with a rushing touchdown in an Ivy League record 20-straight games. He also accumulated 1,833 yards and an Ivy League-best 18 touchdowns through the air. The Wantagh, N.Y., product, who ranked fourth in the FCS with 20.9 points responsible for per game, led a Princeton offensive unit that ranked second in the FCS with 47.0 points per game and third with 536.8 yards per game. In the classroom, Lovett is a history major with a 3.29 GPA. 
 
A three-time All-Ivy selection, Horsted makes Princeton the first Ivy League team to sweep the finalists for either Offensive or Defensive Player of the Year since the honors were separated into two awards in 2011. The senior wide receiver registered his second-straight 1,000-yard receiving season with 1,047 receiving yards on an Ivy League-high 72 catches, including a League-best 13 receiving touchdowns. The Shoreview, Minn., native dots the Ivy League record books, finishing among the top five in career touchdown receptions (28), top 10 in career receiving yards (2,703) and top 15 in career receptions (196). A two-sport athlete at Princeton, Horsted concludes his career as a three-time Ivy League champion—twice in football (2016, 2018) and once in baseball (2016). Off the field, Horsted owns a 3.52 GPA as a sociology major. 
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
A two-time All-Ivy honoree, Swann set a Dartmouth program record and led all of NCAA Division I with nine interceptions on the season. The Queen Creek, Ariz., product also led the Ivy League and ranked third in the FCS with 18 passes defended, while recording 39 tackles and recovering a fumble. Swann propelled a Dartmouth defensive unit that allowed just 12.0 points per game—second in the FCS—and just 280.4 yards per game—fifth in the FCS. The junior defensive back will open his senior campaign tied for the Big Green career record for interceptions with 13. In the classroom, Swann is an environmental studies major that claims a 3.00 GPA. 
 
A two-time All-Ivy selection, Hart paced the Crimson and ranked sixth in the Ivy League with 8.5 tackles for loss. The Olympia, Wash., native totaled 32 tackles on the season, while adding 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. The senior defensive lineman concluded his Harvard career with 91 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Off the field, Hart boasts a 3.45 GPA as a history & science: science and society concentrator at Harvard. 
 
Each of this year’s four Asa S. Bushnell Cup finalists were First Team All-Ivy selections, with Lovett and Swann earning unanimous nods. Lovett is 1-of-25 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the most outstanding offensive player in the FCS. Swann is 1-of-25 finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player in the FCS. 
 
ASA S. BUSHNELL CUP HISTORY
Presented annually since 1970, The Asa S. Bushnell Cup honors its namesake, a 1921 Princeton alumnus and the commissioner of the Eastern College Athletic Conference from 1938 to 1970. The Bushnell Cup is awarded by a vote of the Ivy League's eight head football coaches to the players who display outstanding qualities of leadership, competitive spirit, contribution to the team and accomplishments on the field.
 
From 1970 to 2010, the Bushnell Cup recognized an Ivy League Player of the Year (or co-Players of the Year if there was a tie in voting). Beginning with the 2010 season, the award was presented as part of the festivities surrounding the NFF Annual Awards Dinner with four finalists named a week prior to the presentation. Beginning with the 2011 season, the award began recognizing Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, honoring each as a recipient of the Bushnell Cup. Two offensive finalists and two defensive finalists are named, with the Players of the Year unveiled at the presentation.
 
All-Time Recipient List
1970 - Jim Chasey, QB, Dartmouth & Ed Marinaro, RB, Cornell
1971 - Ed Marinaro, RB, Cornell
1972 - Dick Jauron, RB, Yale
1973 - Jim Stoeckel, QB, Harvard
1974 - Walt Snickenberger, RB, Princeton
1975 - Doug Jackson, RB, Columbia
1976 - John Pagliaro, RB, Yale
1977 - John Pagliaro, RB, Yale
1978 - Buddy Teevens, QB, Dartmouth
1979 - Tim Tumpane, LB, Yale
1980 - Kevin Czinger, MG, Yale
1981 - Rich Diana, RB, Yale
1982 - John Witkowski, QB, Columbia
1983 - Derrick Harmon, RB, Cornell
1984 - Tim Chambers, DB, Penn
1985 - Tom Gilmore, DT, Penn
1986 - Rich Comizio, RB, Penn
1987 - Kelly Ryan, QB, Yale
1988 - Jason Garrett, QB, Princeton
1989 - Judd Garrett, RB, Princeton
1990 - Shon Page, RB, Dartmouth
1991 - Al Rosier, RB, Dartmouth
1992 - Jay Fiedler, QB, Dartmouth
1993 - Keith Elias, RB, Princeton
1994 - Pat Goodwillie, LB, Penn
1995 - Dave Patterson, LB, Princeton
1996 - Chad Levitt, RB, Cornell
1997 - Sean Morey, WR, Brown
1998 - Jim Finn, RB, Penn
1999 - James Perry, QB, Brown
2000 - Gavin Hoffman, QB, Penn
2001 - Carl Morris, WR, Harvard
2002 - Carl Morris, WR, Harvard
2003 - Mike Mitchell, QB, Penn
2004 - Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Harvard
2005 - Nick Hartigan, RB, Brown
2006 - Jeff Terrell, QB, Princeton
2007 - Mike McLeod, RB, Yale
2008 - Chris Pizzotti, QB, Harvard
2009 - Buddy Farnham, WR, Brown & Jake Lewko, LB, Penn
2010 - Gino Gordon, RB, Harvard & Nick Schwieger, RB, Dartmouth
2011 - Offensive Player of the Year: Jeff Mathews, QB, Cornell
Defensive Player of the Year: Josue Ortiz, DT, Harvard
2012 - Offensive Player of the Year: Colton Chapple, QB, Harvard
Defensive Player of the Year: Mike Catapano, DL, Princeton
2013 - Offensive Player of the Year: Quinn Epperly, QB, Princeton
Defensive Player of the Year: Zack Hodges, DE, Harvard
2014 - Offensive Player of the Year: Tyler Varga, RB, Yale
Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Zack Hodges, DE, Harvard & Mike Zeuli, LB, Princeton
2015 - Offensive Player of the Year: Scott Hosch, QB, Harvard
Defensive Player of the Year: Tyler Drake, LB, Penn
2016 - Offensive Player of the Year: John Lovett, QB, Princeton
Defensive Player of the Year: Folarin Orimolade, LB, Dartmouth
2017 - Offensive Player of the Year: Chad Kanoff, QB, Princeton
Defensive Player of the Year: Matthew Oplinger, LB, Yale
 
Player of the Year Finalists
2010 - Trey Peacock, WR, Princeton & Billy Ragone, QB, Penn
2011 - Erik Rask, LB, Penn & Nick Schwieger, RB, Dartmouth
2012 - Jeff Mathews, QB, Cornell & AJ Cruz, DB, Brown
2013 - John Spooney, RB, Brown & Caraun Reid, DL, Princeton
2014 - Dalyn Williams, QB, Dartmouth
2015 - Will McNamara, LB, Dartmouth & Justin Watson, WR, Penn
2016 - Kurt Holuba, DL, Princeton & Justin Watson, WR, Penn
2017 - Richard Jarvis, DL, Brown; Nick Miller, LB, Penn & Justin Watson, WR, Penn
 
The evening following the Bushnell Cup Presentation, the NFF will stage its 61st Annual Awards Dinner, also at the New York Hilton Midtown. As the culmination of the regular season, the event provides the stage for the induction of the 2018 College Football Hall of Fame Class; the presentation of the 2018 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards; and the bestowing of the 29th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy®, named for the former Columbia player and head coach, to the nation's top football scholar-athlete. The event will be broadcast live on ESPN3, beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. 
 
Among the honorees will be Atlanta Hall Management Chairman and College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Dartmouth Murry Bowden (NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award), Harvard athletic director Bob Scalise (NFF John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration) and retired Yale athletic director Thomas Beckett (NFF John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration). 
 
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses
The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that hosts America's New Year Celebration® with the Rose Parade® presented by Honda, the Rose Bowl Game® presented by Northwestern Mutual and a variety of accompanying events. 935 volunteer members of the association will drive the success of 130th Rose Parade themed "The Melody of Life," on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, followed by the 105th Rose Bowl Game. For additional information on the Tournament of Roses please visit the official website at tournamentofroses.com.
 
The National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame
Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl "Red" Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 120 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include Football Matters®, the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, The William V. Campbell Trophy®, annual scholarships of more than $1.3 million and a series of initiatives to honor the legends of the past and inspire the leaders of the future. NFF corporate partners include Delta Air Lines, Fidelity Investments – a proud partner of the Campbell Trophy®, Herff Jones, New York Athletic Club, the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the Sports Business Journal, SportsManias, Under Armour and VICIS. Learn more at footballfoundation.org.