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Simmer a Nominee for Comeback Player of the Year
11/20/2018 10:02:00 AM | Football
Seth Simmer returned to the gridiron this fall after having a brain tumor removed
HANOVER, N.H. — The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in association with The Associated Press (AP) and the Fiesta Bowl organization selected three more college football student-athletes as Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award Nominees, one of whom is Dartmouth junior Seth Simmer.
Simmer, a 6-4, 285-pound defensive tackle, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the spring of his freshman year. Doctors originally told him he would not play football again, but he got a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was assured him that if he had the surgery and recovered well, he could play again. He opted for the surgery in which 90 percent of the tumor, which had been pressing against his hearing and balancing nerves, was removed on July 2, 2017. The surgery took out his balancing nerve, forcing him to learn to walk again and caused him to lose the hearing in his left ear.
After missing the entire 2017 season, the native of Powder Springs, Georgia, returned to the field this year for the 15th-ranked Big Green to contribute 11 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. Simmer's biggest game this season came in the showdown between Dartmouth at Princeton — both of which were undefeated at 7-0 at the time — as he was credited with a safety on a sack in the end zone, plus recovered a fumble for the Big Green.
Ten times during the 2018 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. All nominees are now eligible for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, presented at the end of the season. Mayo Clinic, the premier sponsor, will donate $5,000 to the general scholarship funds for the three winners and $2,500 in the name of six other worthy finalists. In addition, the three honorees will be recognized during a special ceremony during the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. Honorees and winners are selected by a panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and Touchdown Illustrated, and representatives of the Fiesta Bowl.
Visit comeback-player.com/honorees for a complete list of nominees to date.
Simmer, a 6-4, 285-pound defensive tackle, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the spring of his freshman year. Doctors originally told him he would not play football again, but he got a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was assured him that if he had the surgery and recovered well, he could play again. He opted for the surgery in which 90 percent of the tumor, which had been pressing against his hearing and balancing nerves, was removed on July 2, 2017. The surgery took out his balancing nerve, forcing him to learn to walk again and caused him to lose the hearing in his left ear.
After missing the entire 2017 season, the native of Powder Springs, Georgia, returned to the field this year for the 15th-ranked Big Green to contribute 11 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss. Simmer's biggest game this season came in the showdown between Dartmouth at Princeton — both of which were undefeated at 7-0 at the time — as he was credited with a safety on a sack in the end zone, plus recovered a fumble for the Big Green.
Ten times during the 2018 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. All nominees are now eligible for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, presented at the end of the season. Mayo Clinic, the premier sponsor, will donate $5,000 to the general scholarship funds for the three winners and $2,500 in the name of six other worthy finalists. In addition, the three honorees will be recognized during a special ceremony during the 2019 Fiesta Bowl. Honorees and winners are selected by a panel of writers, editors and sports information directors from CoSIDA, AP and Touchdown Illustrated, and representatives of the Fiesta Bowl.
Visit comeback-player.com/honorees for a complete list of nominees to date.
Players Mentioned
DT
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