Wake Forest’s Hartman to Receive ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Wake Forest redshirt junior quarterback Sam Hartman has been named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2022 Brian Piccolo Award, the league announced on Monday.
The Piccolo Award has been given annually since 1970 in memory of the late Brian Piccolo to the “most courageous” football player in the ACC. As a standout running back at Wake Forest, Piccolo was the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965 and played for the Chicago Bears before his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer. His courageous fight against the disease was an inspiration to the Bears and the entire football community.
Hartman had serious doubts in early August that he would ever play football again, let alone be allowed to take the field for the 2022 season. Diagnosed with Paget-Schroetter syndrome (effort thrombosis) – a rare blood clot in the subclavian vein – the Charlotte, North Carolina native was immediately restricted from football-related activities. He underwent a procedure to remove the blood clot and subsequent surgery to eliminate the pressure on the affected vein.
With a rehab effort led by Dr. Julie A. Freischlag, a renowned vascular surgeon and one of the world’s leading experts in Paget-Schroetter syndrome, Hartman defied all odds by returning to the practice field in less than a month. Freischlag, the CEO/Chief Academic Officer of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Dean of the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, teamed with Dr. Matthew Goldman, Niles Fleet and the entire Wake medical sports and performance staff to enhance Hartman’s remarkable recovery.
After sitting out just one game, Hartman delivered the season so many anticipated, ranking second in the ACC with 3,421 passing yards in 11 games while tying for the lead in touchdown passes with 35. He ended the regular season with 107 touchdown passes for his career, tying former Clemson standout Tajh Boyd for the all-time ACC record.
“As a three-time captain and someone who is one of the finest leaders I have had the pleasure to coach, Sam Hartman is the heartbeat of our football team and is well deserving of this honor,” Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson said. “His dedication, work ethic and drive have allowed him to become one of the best quarterbacks in the country and he has persevered through so much off the field in his life.
“On behalf of our football program, I would like to thank the Atlantic Coast Conference for recognizing Sam as the 2022 Brian Piccolo Award recipient.”
Please see here for an ESPN feature segment on Hartman’s diagnosis and inspiring recovery that aired November 19 on ACC Network.
Hartman becomes the sixth student-athlete from Wake Forest to earn the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award and the first since wide receiver/kick returner Greg Dortch in 2018.
ACC Brian Piccolo Award Winners
1970 Paul Miller, QB, North Carolina
1971 Jim Webster, LB, North Carolina
1972 Mark Johnson, QB, Duke
1973 Al Neville, QB, Maryland
1974 David Visaggio, DG, Maryland
1975 Scott Gardner, QB, Virginia
1976 Jeff Green, DE, Duke
1977 Ralph Stringer, DB, NC State
1978 Rex Varn, DB, Clemson
1979 Al Richardson, LB, Georgia Tech
1980 Jack Cain, DB, Clemson
1981 Aaron Stewart, DB, Duke
1982 Kenny Duckett, WR, Wake Forest
1983 John Piedmonte, OLB, Wake Forest
1984 J.D. Maarleveld, T, Maryland
1985 Danny Burmeister, DB, N. Carolina
1986 Ray Williams, WR, Clemson
1987 no recipient
1988 Jerry Mays, TB, Georgia Tech
1989 Michael Anderson, RB, Maryland
1990 Marc Mays, WR, Duke
1991 Scott Adell, T, NC State
1992 Dan Footman, DE, Florida State
Randy Cuthbert, TB, Duke
1993 Scott Youmans, DL, Duke
1994 Chris Harrison, T, Virginia
1995 Warren Forney, DT, Clemson
1996 John Lewis, RB, Wake Forest
1997 Sam Cowart, LB, Florida State
1998 Anthony Poindexter, DB, Virginia
Corey Simon, DT, Florida State
1999 Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State
2000 Ed Wilder, FB, Georgia Tech
2001 Matt Crawford, T, Maryland
2002 Anquan Boldin, WR, Florida State
2003 Kevin Bailey, OL, Virginia
2004 Frank Gore, RB, Miami
2005 Ryan Best, S, Virginia
2006 Glenn Sharpe, Miami
2007 Matt Robinson, DE, Wake Forest
2008 Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
2009 Toney Baker, RB, NC State
2010 Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College
Nate Irving, LB, NC State
2011 Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina
2012 Shayon Green, DE, Miami
Chris Thompson, RB, Florida State
2013 Robert Godhigh, RB, Georgia Tech
2014 Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
2015 Hunter Knighton, OL, Miami
2016 James Conner, RB, Pitt
2017 Trevon Young, DE, Louisville
2018 Greg Dortch, WR/KR, Wake Forest
2019 Richard Yeargin, DE, Boston College
2020 Nolan Cooney, P, Syracuse
2021 McKenzie Milton, QB, Florida State
Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
2022 Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest