GAINESVILLE — Florida punter David Lerner, a former Prokicker.com camper, is one of four finalists for the Uplifting Athlete Rare Disease Champion Award. The Gators' redshirt junior was diagnosed with Crohn's disease before the start of fall camp.
Lerner received the Dick Schapp Sportsman of the Year Award in December. He played in the Gators' first six games, recording 27 punts for 1,040 yards (38.5 yards per punt).
Despite being diagnosed with Crohn's in July, Lerner did not miss a day of camp, although he lost nearly 15 pounds. He won the starting punting job and received a scholarship before the start of the season.
Online voting for the award opens on Feb. 1 and runs through Feb. 26.
