James Madison’s Patrick Rea nominated for Orange Bowl Courage Award
DALLAS (FWAA) — James Madison’s Patrick Rea is this week’s nominee for the 2026 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Rea, a fifth-year punter, uses his position to help raise funds for childhood brain cancer after losing his younger sister to the disease.
“This is something that’s very personal to me,” Rea said at the beginning of the season. “And I’m hoping that anyone that wants to be involved in donating and promoting this cause, it’d be much appreciated.”
Pippa Rea died at the age of 11 in 2015 after battling a form of childhood brain cancer called DIPG. John Paul Macri, a 10-year-old local JMU fan who became close with the football team, also died of the disease this past October.
For every punt that he places inside the opponent’s 20 yard line, Patrick Rea is donating $100 to the Robert Connor Dawes (RCD) Foundation, which supports funding for pediatric brain cancer research.
Rea also accepts donations from the community, and he raised thousands of dollars for the cause.
A Melbourne, Australia native, Rea played Australian Rules Football in high school before signing with Louisiana Tech. He spent three seasons with the Bulldogs, playing 19 total games and making Conference USA’s Commissioner’s Honor Roll and becoming a C-USA Academic Medalist three times apiece.
Rea transferred to JMU in 2025, and he played in all 14 games last season as the Dukes’ primary punter and holder. He earned the JMU Athletic Director’s Scholar-Athlete award for the spring of 2026 as well.
The Dukes are 8-2 overall this season and 5-2 in conference play, good for second place in the Sun Belt East Division. Rea is averaging 42.4 yards on 40 punts, with two touchbacks and 15 punts inside the 20.
About Orange Bowl
Orange Bowl is a primarily volunteer non-profit sports organization with more than 400 members that promotes and serves the South Florida community. With its primary mission since being created in 1935 to bring tourism to South Florida through an annual football game and events, it has also maintained a legacy of charitable contributions and community outreach. Orange Bowl’s community outreach is embodied by the four pillars of its Orange Bowl Cares program: Youth Sports, Education, Community Engagement, and Legacy Programs. Orange Bowl features a year-round schedule of events culminating with the 2026 CFP Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 14, 2027. For more information about Orange Bowl events, including promotional inquiries and volunteer opportunities through the Ambassador Program, visit orangebowl.org or follow @OrangeBowl on social media
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at 214-870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com.
2026 Courage Award Nominees
First Week: Texas OT Trevor Goolsby
Second Week: Illinois LB Ismael Kante
Third Week: Pittsburgh Equipment Manager Niko Pitinii
Fourth Week: Yale QB Dante Reno
Fifth Week: Arizona State OT Jalen Klemm
Sixth Week: Penn State QB Alex Manske
Seventh Week: Tulsa OLB coach John Beckley
Eighth Week: Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy
Ninth Week: JMU P Patrick Rea
All-Time FWAA Courage Award Recipients
2025 Alex McPherson, Auburn
2024 Tylee Craft, North Carolina
2023 Mike Hollins, Virginia
2022 Cam McCormick, Oregon
2021 Utah Team
2020 Alex Charlton, Arkansas State
2019 Blake Anderson, Arkansas State
2018 Kyle Richard, SUNY-Cortland
2017 D’Cota Dixon, Wisconsin
2016 James Conner, Pitt
2015 Hunter Knighton, Miami
2014 Laken Tomlinson, Duke
2013 Anthony Larceval, San Jose State
2012 Daniel Rodriguez, Clemson
2011 Arthur Ray Jr., Michigan State
2010 Eric LeGrand, Rutgers
2009 Connecticut Team
2008 Wilson Holloway, Tulsa
2007 Zerbin Singleton, Navy
2006 Ray Ray McElrathbey, Clemson
2005 Tulane Team
2004 Haracio Colen, Memphis
2003 Neil Parry, San Jose State
2002 William Bratton, Toledo
