POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – Senior linebacker Rene Barber of the Marist University football team is this year's nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Work Team.
 
Barber has been involved in numerous activities in his time at Marist. This past spring, he delivered the keynote address as the White Ribbon campaign on campus. The White Ribbon Campaign dates back to 2008 at Marist, and it is part of a worldwide movement of men and boys aiming to end violence against women and girls. He has attended the Black Student-Athlete Summit each of the last three years, and he was named Student-Athlete of the Year at this year's summit. He serves as Vice President of Marist's Black Student-Athlete Alliance. Barber has worked with the Liberty Partnership, and he has made visits to local high schools and middle schools.
 
Barber is heading into his fourth year as a member of Marist's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and he attended the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference's SAAC Conference this past year. He is also a member of Marist's Events Staff, and he has worked games on campus involving numerous sports. He has been selected to the Pioneer Football League Academic Honor Roll each of the last two years.
 
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team was established in 1992 by the College Football Association, recognizing the extra efforts made by college football players and student support staff off the field. This year, there are 197 nominees at all levels of college football. The final roster of 23 recipients, which will be announced in September, will include 11 players from the Football Bowl Subdivision; 11 players combined from the Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, Division III, and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and one honorary head coach.
 
The Marist football program is heading into its second season under the leadership of head coach Mike Willis in 2025. The Red Foxes open their 12-game schedule on Friday, Aug. 29 against New Haven at Tenney Stadium.