Damaschke recognized at NFF Scholar-Athlete banquet in New York

Click here to view a photo album of Austin Damaschke's trip.
Click here to watch the press conference. 

NEW YORK – Senior quarterback Austin Damaschke was honored by the National Football Foundation as a Scholar-Athlete at its press conference, banquet and festivities on Monday and Tuesday. The Falcons gunslinger is the first student-athlete to be named a NFF Scholar-Athlete in school history.

Below is the transcription from the Scholar-Athlete press conference with Bonnie Berstein acting as the host.

BONNIE BERNSTEIN: From Concordia University in Wisconsin, quarterback Austin Damaschke, 3.67 GPA in biomedical science. Austin ended his career with multiple school and conference records and is a two-time Conference Offensive Player Of the Year. Welcome, Austin.

AUSTIN DAMASCHKE: Thank you. It's truly an honor, and I'm extremely humbled to be here just to be recognized by such an amazing organization and to be a part of this these couple of days is just an awesome honor. Also to be in the presence of these awesome young men next to me and just to be recognized along with them is just one of the greatest feelings ever.

BONNIE BERNSTEIN: What about being a quarterback you think will tee you up for success in your professional career?

AUSTIN DAMASCHKE: I mean, it's the perfect position, if you ask me. Just the leadership that it takes and not only on the field every day and every minute, every second, everyone's looking at you on the field. Because as the quarterback, you take all the glory and take all the punishment at the same time. I think that's one of the great privileges that it is to play quarterback, that you can take that punishment and you can get back up and just go use that strength that you build on the field, go use that in the real world.

BONNIE BERNSTEIN: First-ever NFF Scholar-Athlete in Concordia's history. Congratulations, Austin.