ROCHESTER, Minn.—The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl Organization, has selected Northeastern State's Ashton Antwine as a nominee for the 2019 Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award.
 
Antwine has suffered two significant injuries the past two seasons – a broken right wrist in fall camp in 2017 that forced the Edmond native to miss the entire season and then last season, a broken left ankle in the second week that required surgery.  Through the first four games of the 2019 season, he's recorded 20 tackles including three for a loss as well as an interception for the RiverHawks.

"Ashton has been a leader on our team for several years, and the way he has battled through adversity through his injuries shows the character of the person he has," said head coach J.J. Eckert.
  
"Being  a nominee for an award like this is a testament to his hard work in wanting to finish his senior season." 
 
Antwine was selected along with Jamieson Craske of Stetson University and Jaquan Hemphill of Hardin-Simmons as nominees for week four.  Of the 12 nominees this season, Antwine is the only player from NCAA Division II football to be honored.  
 
Ten times during the 2019 college football season, three inspiring student-athletes from all levels of college football, who have overcome injury, illness or other challenges, will be recognized as Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Nominees by a panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and Touchdown Illustrated. CoSIDA members can nominate student-athletes at Comeback-Player.com.
 
Previous nominees are: Kaleb Barker (Troy), Aaron Crawford (UNC), Jonathan Haden (UAB), Josh Paschal (Kentucky), Isaiah Pola-Mao (USC), CJ Sanders (SMU), Amadeo West (Army), Octavion Wilson (Salisbury), Antoine Winfield Jr. (Minnesota).
 
At the end of the season, three of the nominees will be chosen as Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award winners and will be recognized at a special ceremony during the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Additionally, $30,000 will be donated in the names of the nine student-athletes selected as finalists to their school's general scholarship fund, with $15,000 being awarded in the names of the three winners and $15,000 on behalf of the six named honorable mention.
 
About Mayo Clinic: Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit comprehensive organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert comprehensive care to everyone who needs healing. Learn more about Mayo Clinic. Visit the Mayo Clinic News Network.
 
About CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America): CoSIDA was founded in 1957 and is a 3,000+ member national organization comprised of the sports public relations, media relations and communications/information professionals throughout all levels of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. The organization is the second oldest management association in intercollegiate athletics. To learn more, visit cosida.com.