May 9, 2000
LEXINGTON, Kty. – University of Kentucky wide receiver Alex Herman has been chosenas the winner of the sixth annual Trent DiGiuro Memorial Scholarship.
Herman, a junior from Union, Ky., has been a four-year member ofthe UK football team. He earned his first varsity letter during the1999 season, playing in all 11 regular-season games plus theHomePoint.com Music City Bowl. He got most of his playing time on thepunt coverage team and showed a knack for getting downfield quickly anddowning punts before they reached the end zone. He was named the “UKWalk-on of the Year” by the Louisville chapter of the National FootballFoundation and Hall of Fame.
Herman played two years for the UK junior varsity, 1997-98,while practicing with the varsity. He joined the team as a freshman in1996. He is working on a degree in marketing and expects to graduate inMay, 2001.
The scholarship fund was established by friends and family offormer UK offensive guard Trent DiGiuro, who died on July 17, 1994.Trent’s parents, Mike and Ann DiGiuro, officially established the fundon Oct. 24, 1994.
The fund provides one or more scholarships each year to studentswho:
1) are walk-on (non-scholarship) football players at UK,
2) have played on the football team at least two years,
3) have maintained a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.5,and
4) best exemplify the dedication, determination, hard work, andleadership typified by Trent DiGiuro.
If no walk-on player meets the above criteria, the scholarshipis awarded to a manager or trainer who has completed two years ofservice, maintained a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, and hasexemplified the dedication, determination, hard work, and leadershiptypified by Trent DiGiuro.
“I feel very honored by this,” Herman said. “I want to thankTrent’s family for what they’ve done to make the scholarship possible,and I’m privileged to receive it.”
Trent DiGiuro was from Goshen, Ky., and earned all-districthonors at South Oldham High School. He came to UK as a walk-onoffensive lineman in 1991. Through hard work and perseverance, he beganearning playing time in 1993 as the Wildcats advanced to the Peach Bowl.In the off-season, he posted the best bench press on the team and hefinished 1994 spring practice as the starting right guard. Trent alsomade steady progress in his academic work and earned a place on the 1993Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll.
The first DiGiuro Scholarship was given in 1995 to placekickerBrent Claiborne. Subsequent scholarships have been awarded to managerAndrew Cline (1996), trainer Patrick Sininger (1997), linebacker StephanWalters (1998), and tight end Cheddi Acham (1999).
