PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Maxwell Football Club announced its watch list for the 75th annual Maxwell Award, given to America's outstanding collegiate football player since 1937 and named in honor of sportswriter Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell. 

The watch list incorporates a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. Returning Maxwell Award semifinalists from 2010 include Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles, Baylor QB Robert Griffin, Oregon RB LaMichael James, Stanford QB Andrew Luck, Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez, Boise State QB Kellen Moore and Michigan QB Denard Robinson.

The 2010 Maxwell Award winner, QB Cam Newton of Auburn left school early following his junior season. Newton was selected No. 1 overall in the National Football League Draft by the Carolina Panthers.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 31 and the three finalists for the award will be unveiled Nov. 21. The winner of the 2011 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 8. The formal presentation of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah's Entertainment Atlantic City on March 2.

The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club's selection committee, evaluating past performance and future potential. Additions and deletions to these lists will happen as the 2011 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA sports information directors, head coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for the award.

The Maxwell Award is part of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients.

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Braves today signed their first-round selection (28^th overall) in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, left-handed pitcher Sean Gilmartin from Florida State University. Gilmartin arrived to the Braves facility at ESPN's Wide World of Sports Complex today to begin a throwing program.

Gilmartin, a 6-2, 195 pound left-handed pitcher, was a first team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection after going 12-1 with a 1.83 ERA (23 ER/113.1 IP) in 17 games (16 starts) for Florida State University in 2011. Ranked by Baseball America as the 16^th-best college pitcher in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, he paced Seminole hurlers in wins (12), strikeouts (122) and innings pitched (113.1). His 12 wins were tied for most in the ACC, while his 122 strikeouts were good for third.

"Sean is quality left-handed pitcher with great makeup and an excellent selection of pitches," said Tony DeMacio, the Club's director of scouting. "We think he'll move fast through our system and we are real happy to reach an agreement. Sean is certainly a great addition to the Braves family."

Gilmartin was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 31^st round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign. The Moorpark, California, native went 2-1 with a 4.35 ERA (5 ER/10.1 IP) in four appearances (one start) for the 2010 Team USA Collegiate National Team.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Warrick Dunn Family Foundation, in collaboration with the Florida State University School of Library & Information Studies, will present home libraries to two single-parent families on Friday.

The presentation of books and other educational materials is the culmination of a pilot project partnering theWarrick Dunn Family Foundation with Dunn's alma mater and is an extension of his foundation's Homes for the Holidays program, in which Habitat for Humanity-built homes are furnished for selected single-parent families who move in near the holidays. The goal of this project is to provide Homes for the Holidays families with an extensive collection of materials to nurture and inspire their interest and love for reading and literacy.

The home libraries will be presented to the families of Latashee Daniels and Wannessia Jefferson, who own the two homes in Tallahassee most recently furnished by the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation. Scheduled to take part in the presentation will be John Thomas, a member of the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation Board of Directors; FSU College of Communication and Information Dean Larry Dennis; Don Yaeger, New York Timesbest-selling author and award-winning inspirational speaker; Corinne Jorgensen, director of the School of Library & Information Studies; Nancy Everhart, associate professor and director of the Partnerships Advancing Library Media (PALM) Center; and graduate research assistant Melissa Johnston.

The presentation will take place at:

11:30 A.M.

FRIDAY, JULY 8

GREGORY CONFERENCE ROOM, GOLDSTEIN LIBRARY

LOUIS SHORES BUILDING (Map and directions can be found here.)

FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

The collaboration was the brainchild of Everhart, who also is immediate past president of the American Association of School Librarians. Doctoral students from the PALM Center went to the two families' homes and conducted extensive interviews with the children in order to determine their reading interests and preferences. Everhart and faculty members Melissa Gross, Don Latham and Marcia Mardis worked with graduate students in their classes to select appropriate materials for each family.

"This service-learning project highlights the unique skills that our faculty and students can provide to the community," Everhart said.

Follett Library Resources provided the digital and printed materials in the libraries, valued at about $800 per family.

"Follett is delighted to sponsor the home libraries for these families because our mission is to support literacy and lifelong learning," Follett President Todd Litzsinger said. "Having books available in the home promotes family reading."

Dunn announced the collaboration in November 2010 at the College of Communication & Information's homecoming celebration, where he was honored as 2010 Distinguished Alumni for the School of Library & Information Studies.

Although the pilot program focused on Homes for the Holidays families in Tallahassee, the Warrick Dunn Family Foundation hopes to expand and replicate the university collaboration to other communities in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana.

"The collaboration with FSU enhances our Homes for the Holidays program for single parents and their children," said Jennifer Maxwell, executive director of the foundation. "Increasing literacy within our recipient families will create lasting change for future generations."

Dunn is one of the legends of FSU football. As the team's starting tailback from 1993 to 1997, he earned numerous accolades, and was a member of the national championship team of 1993. Dunn graduated from Florida State in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in information studies. He went on to a successful pro career, playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons.

To read this article online, visit the Florida State University news site.