PRINCETON, N.J. -- Dartmouth junior defensive tackle
Seth Simmer was 1-of-3 college football student-athletes honored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), in conjunction with the Associated Press (AP), as the inaugural
Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award Winners.
The three players, recognized for overcoming injury, illness or other challenges, will be honored during an on-field ceremony at the 2019 Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz.
Simmer, a junior defensive tackle at Dartmouth, was diagnosed with a brain tumor during the spring of his freshman year. Doctors originally told him he would not play football again, but he got a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., that assured him that if he had the surgery and recovered well, he could play again.
He opted for the surgery, and on July 2, 2017, about 90 percent of the tumor, which had been pressing against his hearing and balancing nerves, was removed. The surgery took out his balancing nerve, forcing him to learn to walk again and causing him to lose the hearing in his left ear.
After missing the entire 2017 season, the Powder Springs, Ga., native returned to the field this year, contributing 11 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. His play of the year came in the showdown between 7-0 Dartmouth at 7-0 Princeton, when he had a sack in the end zone for a safety, plus a fumble recovery for the Big Green.
Joining Simmer in receiving the honor were
Antwan Dixon of Kent State University and
Antonio Wimbush of Carson-Newman University.
Mayo Clinic, the premier sponsor, will donate $5,000 to the general scholarship funds at Carson-Newman, Dartmouth and Kent State in the name of the winners. Additionally, $2,500 will be donated to each of the six schools in the name of the players chosen honorable mention including:
David Blough (Purdue University),
Eric Dungey (Syracuse University),
Caleb Farley (Virginia Tech),
Josh Poplar (Tennessee Tech),
Sam Shook (Ohio Northern University) and
Austin Tillman (Washburn University).