USF senior defensive end George Selvie was recognized this weekend with the Emmitt Smith Athletic Achievement Award, a national honor awarded by the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

The award, named for the former Gator and Cowboys running back who is the NFL's career rushing leader, goes to a fraternity member who best combines athletic and academic success with fraternity and community involvement. The award, presented at the fraternity's national conclave in New Orleans, carries with it a monetary scholarship as well.

The honor is especially significant for Selvie because he hails from Pensacola, which is also where Smith was born and where he starred at Escambia High School. Selvie was a consensus All-American and Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 after leading the nation in tackles for loss, and was a first-team AFCA All-American and first-team All-Big East selection last season. He enters his senior year as the nation's active leader in tackles for loss.

Selvie's national honor comes one month after he was honored with the Collegiate Hall of Fame Award by the southern region of Phi Beta Sigma. Here's a good story from last year when the award and scholarship were first announced by the fraternity. Selvie has been active in helping with USF's involvement in the Youth Impact Program, a four-week camp for at-risk middle schoolers on USF's campus.