North Carolina Central kicker Juan Velarde has been named the 2024 FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award winner.
The honor celebrates an FCS player who “exemplifies excellence on the field, in the classroom and across the community” and pays tribute to Robinson, a former teacher and wife of Grambling State football coach Eddie Robinson.
Velarde served as a punter and place-kicker for the Eagles the past couple of seasons. He averaged 44.8 yards per punt in 2024, with a long kick of 70 yards. He made 43 PATs and finished with 58 points scored.
In the classroom, he holds a 4.0 GPA. He’s a master’s student in business administration.
Velarde has been a volunteer and mentor with multiple schools in the Durham area. He’s also an advocate in the Hispanic community around the NCCU campus.
“Juan Velarde’s impact to North Carolina Central’s football team has simply been amazing,” Eagles head coach Trei Oliver said in a release. “His leadership skills, his attitude, and, on the field, his production is second to none. Juan continues a legacy that North Carolina Central has with our motto: Truth and Service.”
Velarde has played 46 games with North Carolina Central, finishing with a 40.6-yard average on 180 punts.
Including Velarde, three of the 13 finalists for the Doris Robinson Award hailed from North Carolina FCS programs. Elon defensive back Caleb Curtain and Davidson defensive end Julian Rawlins also were finalists from their respective FCS conferences.
2024 FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award Finalists
- Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, WR (Big Sky Conference)
- James Conway, Fordham, LB (Patriot League)
- Caleb Curtain, Elon, DB (CAA Football)
- Paxton DeLaurent, Southeast Missouri, QB (Big South-OVC Football Association)
- Jewelz-Unique Demps, East Texas A&M, DB (Southland Conference)
- Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, QB (Missouri Valley Football Conference)
- Chandler Kirton, Austin Peay, OL (United Athletic Conference)
- Reuben Lowery III, Chattanooga, DB (Southern Conference)
- Matt Noll, Jackson State, P (Southwestern Athletic Conference)
- Julian Rawlins, Davidson, DE (Pioneer Football League)
- Ben Sahakian, Cornell, LB (Ivy League)
- Dan Toatley, Central Connecticut State, DL (Northeast Conference)
- Juan Velarde, North Carolina Central, PK/P (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference)
Read the full release on this year’s Doris Robinson Award winner and finalists
