University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs senior defensive back Reuben Lowery III is a finalist for the prestigious FedEx Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award. The list of 13 finalists was released last Wednesday by Stats Perform.
Lowery is in his fifth year with the Mocs program, having arrived in Chattanooga during tumultuous times with the 2020-21 season being impacted by COVID-19. Despite the challenges, he has played in every game he has been healthy for and has been a vital contributor to the Mocs’ defense.
As a hybrid “slot safety” in Chattanooga’s 4-2-5 defensive scheme, Lowery blends the responsibilities of a linebacker, safety and cornerback. But one thing is certain–he is an undisputed leader, serving as a team captain for the past two seasons.
“Reuben is special,” Coach Rusty Wright said. “On the field, off the field and everywhere in between. He’s exactly what you want in a student-athlete. His impact for us is evident every week, but if you go to the Engineering department, you’ll hear the same things about him as a student. We are thankful he chose Chattanooga.”
Lowery graduated with honors in May 2023 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering–a remarkable accomplishment given the year-round demands of being an elite football player.
In addition to his work in the classroom and on the field, Lowery has been heavily involved in leadership roles, serving in the Mocs Fellowship of Christian Athletes Huddle and on the NCAA Football Oversight Committee/Student-Athlete Connection Group.
His accolades extend beyond the campus as well. Lowery has been an all-conference performer, earning 2021 All-Freshman and 2022 All-SoCon honors. He has also been recognized nationally, being named to the CoSIDA (now CSC) Academic All-District and FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) Athletics Director’s Association Academic All-Star Team multiple times.
Lowery’s impressive resume extends even further, as he spent a year on the Rocket Mocs, a student amateur rocketry group that earned NASA recognition as one of the best in the country for five consecutive years from 2019 to 2023.
“Even if he was not a student-athlete, Reuben would be well-known and respected on our campus,” Vice Chancellor for Athletics Mark Wharton said. “You could say he’s the standard for what we want for and from our student-athletes at Chattanooga. We’re delighted to see his accomplishments and efforts being recognized on the national stage.”
Lowery’s hometown is Powder Springs, Georgia, where he graduated from Hillgrove High School.
The Doris Robinson Award honors an FCS-level student-athlete who exemplifies excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, embodying the values of leadership and integrity championed by Doris Robinson, a former schoolteacher and the wife of legendary Grambling State University coach Eddie Robinson. This is the 10th anniversary season for the award.
Lowery is the fifth Chattanooga finalist for the honor and the fourth Moc overall. Current Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman McClendon Curtis was a two-time finalist in 2021 and 2022, while quarterback Drayton Arnold made the list in the 2020-21 COVID-affected year, and running back Alex Trotter was the first Moc to be recognized in 2018. The FCS National Awards Banquet, held each January, recognizes the outstanding contributions of student-athletes, coaches and teams, including the Walter Payton Award (FCS Offensive Player of the Year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS Defensive Player of the Year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman Player of the Year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS Coach of the Year), and the new HBCU FCS Player of the Year Award.