• Eagles Fly for Leukemia Website
Photo by Mark Campbell

PHILADELPHIA -- University of Delaware junior quarterback Pat Devli (at right) was honored as the local College Player of the Year at the 2009 Bert Bell Memorial Awards Dinner Tuesday night at the Hyatt Regency Hotel.

The awards dinner serves as an annual fundraiser for the successful Eagles Fly for Leukemia program which supports pediatric cancer and leukemia research in the Delaware Valley. Over $10 million has been raised over a 35-year period.

“I want to thank the Eagles Fly for Leukemia program for this award and everything they do,” said Devlin in receiving the award. “It’s easy for someone like me who gets to play football and hear the cheers from the crowd. But those children stricken with cancer who are in their hospital beds with only their families and doctors there to support them, they are the real heroes. They are an inspiration to all of us.”

Devlin, a native of Downingtown, Pa. (Downingtown East High School) and a first-year transfer from Penn State, has led the No. 23 ranked University of Delaware to a 6-3 record heading into Saturday’s game at Navy in Annapolis, Md. He leads the Colonial Athletic Association in passing yardage and total offense, completing 161 of 260 passes for 2,063 yards (229.2 per game) and 15 touchdowns with just six interceptions. He has also rushed for four touchdowns.

He has thrown for over 200 yards six times this season, including a season-high 329 yards vs. Maine and 302 yards against William & Mary. He threw four touchdown passes vs. Massachusetts and three against William & Mary.

Also honored at the banquet were former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach and current CBS Sports pro football analyst Bill Cowher, who won the Bert Bell Memorial Award for contributions to the game; current Philadelphia Eagles players Leonard Weaver and Winston Justice received the Eagles Hero Awards; and Jim Fleming received the Leonard Tose Award. Former NFL head coach Dick Vermeil presented the award to Cowher. Beasley Reece, sports anchor for CBS 3 Eyewitness News, served as the emcee.