KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan redshirt senior offensive guard Mike Caliendo has been named to the preseason watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy. The honor, known as college football's premier award for community service, is presented by the Chick-fil-A Foundation in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. 
 
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel from the University of Florida, the Wuerffel Trophy is awarded annually to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. 
 
Last fall, Bronco quarterback Jon Wassink was presented with the Wuerffel Trophy. Wassink joined former Western Michigan quarterback Tim Hiller (2009) as Wuerffel Trophy winners. WMU and Oklahoma are the only schools with multiple recipients.
 
A 6-foot-4, 300-pound Brookfield, Wis., product, Caliendo is a preseason first team All-Mid-American Conference honoree by Phil Steele and second team by Athlon Sports. Earlier this week, Caliendo was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, an award presented to the nation's top interior lineman. He enters 2020 as Western Michigan's returning starter at left guard, having played in 38 career games with 36 starts, the last 33 at left guard.
 
During the 2019 campaign, Caliendo helped the Broncos finish with top-three MAC rankings in total offensive yards per game (445.7; 2nd), third down conversion percentage (.453; 2nd), fewest fumbles lost (6; 2nd), fewest turnovers lost (14; 2nd) and points per game (33.1; 3rd). His work provided time and space for WMU to finish as the only MAC squad to compile 2,600 or more rushing yards and 3,000 or more passing yards last fall. Caliendo also guided the offensive line to stand third in the conference and 18th nationally in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.38) and fourth in the MAC in fewest tackles for loss yielded per contest (5.08).
 
Off the field, Caliendo was a first team CoSIDA Academic All-District 5 honoree in 2019. He is a three-time Academic All-MAC (2017-18-19) selection and three-time MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete (2017-18-19). In addition to his candidacy for the Wuerffel Trophy, Caliendo is Western Michigan's nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team for excellence in community service.
 
Caliendo graduated from Western Michigan in December with a 3.90 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) and a degree in biomedical sciences. He owns a 4.00 GPA as a master's student in biomedical sciences and is applying to medical schools.
 
Off campus, Caliendo has taken part in a variety of community service projects, including working with Ministry with Community, Kalamazoo Gospel Mission and YWCA.
 
Western Michigan Players on 2020 NCFAA Watch Lists
Biletnikoff Award: Skyy Moore
Butkus Award: Treshaun Hayward
Nagurski Trophy: Treshaun Hayward
Outland Trophy: Mike Caliendo & Jaylon Moore
Hornung Award: D'Wayne Eskridge
Wuerffel Trophy: Mike Caliendo

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