June 6, 2003

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Already a member of the Outland Trophy watch list, Kansas State senior center Nick Leckey was recently added to the Lombardi watch list, the award committee announced.

The Rotary Lombardi Award goes annually to the college football lineman - offense or defense - who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.

Leckey, a 2002 first team all-conference selection, is one of 40 student-athletes named to the preliminary watch list, which includes just four other Big 12 players.

A committee of nearly 400 of America's most prominent college football coaches, football writers, sports broadcasters and previous Rotary Lombardi Award winners, participate in a three-tiered balloting process. Each year the selection committee selects twelve semifinalists, four finalists and the ultimate winner.

All four finalists, their head coaches and sports information directors, are brought to Houston for two days of hospital visits, media interviews and local hospitality. The climax of the trip is the annual Rotary Lombardi Dinner, when a sellout crowd gathers to hear the announcement of the winner prior to its release to the national media.

The 2003 Rotary Lombardi Award Dinner is slated for Dec. 10 at Reliant Stadium.

Terrell Suggs of Arizona State was the recipient of the 2002 Rotary Lombardi Award.