UST's Greg Kaiser gets Burger King Scholar-Athlete Honor

September 30, 1999
QB Kaiser wins $10,000 for UST
as Burger King National Scholar-Athlete

St. Thomas QB Greg Kaiser (SR-Mora) is one of three MIAC football players to be honored as 1999 recipients of Burger King Division III National Scholar Athlete Awards. Joining Kaiser are fellow seniors Kris Staples, a linebacker from Hamline, and Ryan Hollom, a wide receiver from St. Olaf.

Checks in the amount of $10,000 will be awarded to the general scholarship funds at Hamline, St. Olaf and St. Thomas in the players' names. A formal presentation will be made to Kaiser at the Oct. 16 game vs. Carleton.

There are approximately 17,000 college players at the 221 NCAA Div. III schools which sponsor football. Burger King honors 20 among that group per year, thus having three honorees from the MIAC is exceptional.

Kaiser has a 3.87 gpa in Business and is his third season as a starting QB. He has completed 60% of his passes on his career for 5,115 yards and 46 touchdowns. In Kaiser's 20 career MIAC starts, UST is 15-5, and he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 21 of his 22 games.
A two-time All-MIAC honoree, Kaiser was a GTE-CoSIDA second team Academic All-American in 1997.

This is the fifth year of the Burger King award and more than $5 million in scholarship money has been given to Division I, II, III and NAIA institutions thus far. Two previous St. Thomas winners were Curt Behrns in 1995, awarded $25,000 for UST, and Chris Esterley in 1997, awarded $10,000 for the school.

Last week, Kaiser was among four MIAC players out of 11 overall named to the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) College Division Good Works Team, honoring exceptional community service. Kaiser was joined by St. Olaf junior Aaron Douglas, Hamline senior Nathan Schneeberger and Bethel senior Chico Rowland.

Here's the official announcement from Burger King:


BURGER KING CORPORATION HONORS
THREE LOCAL SCHOLAR ATHLETES
RYAN HOLLOM, GREG KAISER & KRIS STAPLES

$10,000 Donated to the General
Scholarship Funds of ST. OLAF COLLEGE,
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS
and HAMLINE UNIVERSITY

ST. PAUL, MN - Burger King Corporation names three college scholar athletes from the Twin Cities area. Ryan Hollom from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Greg Kaiser from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and Kris Staples from Hamline University, St. Paul, have been chosen as Burger King College Football Scholar Athletes of the Week. In honor of their outstanding athletic and academic achievements and commitment to mentoring the community's youth, Burger King Corporation has donated $10,000 to the general scholarship funds of each of these three schools in the athlete's names. All three scholar athletes were present at a Sept. 30 press conference at the University of St. Thomas' football field.
Each athlete will again be recognized during half time ceremonies of a home game in front of a stadium full of fans. The award ceremony for St. Olaf College will take place October 2, when a jumbo check will be presented by Burger King Franchisee, Kent Colson to Ryan Hollom, his family and College Officials. The award ceremony will take place for the University of St. Thomas, October 16, when Corporate Franchisee, Greg Dolphin, of Dolphin Fast Foods will present the check to Greg Kaiser, his family, Coach Don Roney and University Officials. Hamline University will celebrate their award ceremony October 23, as a Burger King Representative will present the jumbo check to Kris Staples and Hamline University President, Dr. Larry Osnes; Head Football Coach, Dick Tressel; and Sports Information Director, Tom Gilles.
Developed to foster the pursuit of athletic and academic excellence while encouraging social awareness and community service, the Burger King College Football Scholarship Program is the single largest corporate commitment of its kind to the sport of college football. The awarding of these scholarships is based on academic achievement, dedication to community service and athletic ability. Now in its fifth year, the program has already donated a total of $4.3 million dollars in college scholarship funds to 211 colleges and universities nationwide. The 1999 program will raise the overall Burger King contribution to $5.3 million.
"These athletes serve as outstanding role models of achievement in the classroom, on the football field and in their communities," says Richard Taylor, vice president, Marketing Services, Burger King Corporation. "We are proud to honor these young people who have truly applied themselves in their colleges/universities and still found the time to remain actively involved with helping others."
Hollom is a senior who has maintained a 3.8 GPA as Physics/Computer Science Major, while starting as a wide receiver/punt returner for the St. Olaf College football team. Football Captain and Linebacker, Kris Staples is a Hamline University senior communications and management major holding a 3.79 GPA. In addition to their academic and athletic endeavors, these three scholar athletes are volunteers with multiple worthy causes in the Twin Cities area dedicated to helping those in need.
Each week throughout the 10-week program, Burger King Corporation will name eight scholar athlete award winners, two from each division. In recognition of each Scholar Athlete's achievements, Burger King Corporation will then donate $10,000 in the athlete's name to his college/university's general scholarship fund. Four of these winners, one from each college football division, will be selected as finalists for the 1999 Burger King Scholar Athlete of the Year Award and garner an additional $25,000 for his college/university. The Burger King Scholar Athlete of the Year award honors the nation's top scholar athlete in college football. In recognition of the Scholar Athlete of the Year, Burger King Corporation will set up a $100,000 scholarship endowment at the college/university of the honored winner.

The winner of the 1999 Burger King Scholar Athlete of the Year Award will be announced in December. Last year's recipient was Josh Penry from Mesa State College who since graduating has become press secretary for Arizona's House Representative Scott McGinnis. Peyton Manning from the University of Tennessee garnered the distinction of becoming the first Burger King Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1997 and is now playing in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts.
Burger King Corporation and its franchisees operate more than 10,600 restaurants in all 50 states and in 54 countries and international territories around the world. Since the company's founding in Miami in 1954, the BURGER KING® brand has become recognized for great flame-broiled taste and HAVE IT YOUR WAY® food customization. In fiscal year 1998, the BURGER KING® system had system-wide sales of $10.9 billion. Burger King Corporation is a part of Diageo (NYSE:DEO), the international food and drinks company that includes such brands as Pillsbury, Haagen Dazs, and Guinness.

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