Sept 25, 2010; Austin, TX, USA; A member of the UCLA Bruins holds up his helmet to acknowledge their fans against the Texas Longhorns during the fourth quarter at Texas Memorial Stadium. UCLA beat Texas 34-12. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images Brendan Maloney-Imagn Images

Standout UCLA Transfer Early Contender for Off-Field Award

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Connor Moreno | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 6:00 AM ET

The measure of an athlete's character can only grow based on who they are off the field. And UCLA Bruins' transfer offensive lineman Julian Armella is garnering early attention as a Good Samaritan, being selected to the 2025 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, UCLA Athletics announced Thursday.

Armella transferred from Florida State to Westwood as a former four-star talent and is expected to be the Bruins' starting right guard.

In a statement announcing Armella being one of 116 student-athletes selected to the award watch list, UCLA athletics detailed the history of the award and why Armella is a prime contender for his acts off the field:

"College football's premier award for community service, The Wuerffel Trophy is named after Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from the University of Florida who parlayed his success on the football field into a lifetime of service. This marks the 21st anniversary of the trophy's founding.Armella, a transfer from Florida State, has already been heavily involved in community service and philanthropic efforts since arriving at UCLA in December 2024.

"Alongside teammates last April, Armella took part in a swab event for the National Marrow Donor Program as well as recruited fellow UCLA students to donate stem cells to help blood cancer patients. In March, Armella visited the UCLA Lab School where he read to children ages 4-12. Last month, Armella joined in on a listening exercise with new UCLA Chancellor Dr. Julio Frenk as a member of the UCLA Athletics leadership group.

"Prior to joining UCLA, Armella served as a coach and mentor to children at the Kendall Boys & Girls Club in his hometown of Miami, Florida. Armella also helped Florida State head coach Mike Norvell, in conjunction with the Keep Climbing Foundation, in the school's annual Winter Coat Drive for students in need.

"The 2025 Wuerffel Trophy finalists and recipient will be selected by an illustrious national voting committee, including a fan vote component, and announced on ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12. The Wuerffel Trophy Presentation Gala will take place Jan. 31, 2026, at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta."

Armella aims to be yet another example of the type of person and character UCLA and its athletics aim to bring in every single year.

This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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