KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan redshirt junior linebacker Boone Bonnema has officially been named a candidate for the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy.
 
College Football's Premier Award for Community Service, and one of the most meaningful awards in collegiate sports, The Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. The Wuerffel Trophy embodies Danny's commitment to being a humanitarian, while honoring student-athletes who are inspired to serve others and make positive impacts on society.
 
Bonnema is routinely one of the first members of the football team to volunteer in the community. He is the WMU Chapter President for Uplifting Athletes, which he recently helped raise $11,000 in July for people with rare diseases. The Zeeland, Mich., native is a member of the football team's Leadership Council, is the Vice President of WMU's Student-Athlete Advisory Council and is the President of WMU's chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
 
Bonnema is a first-generation college graduate in his family, earning a degree in finance from the WMU Haworth College of Business this past April. Now in grad school, he is pursuing an MBA. Bonnema is a two-time Academic All-MAC Team selection.
 
He has played in five games this season, making a career-high 16 total tackles. Bonnema also has 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.
 
Western Michigan has a strong history with the Wuerffel Trophy, being one of just two schools to have multiple winners. Quarterback Tim Hiller won the award back in 2009 and fellow quarterback Jon Wassink was the winner in 2019.

Semifinalists will be named on Nov. 2.