While the St. Louis Battlehawks season ended sooner than expected, the team still accomplished a great deal this season. The Battlehawks had seven players named to the All-UFL Team, the most of any team in the league.
RB Jacob Saylor, EDGE Pita Taumoepenu, OG Steven Gonzalez, C Mike Panusiak, LB Willie Harvey, K Rodrigo Blankenship, and LS Alexander Matheson excelled at their position and were the best in the UFL.
EDGE Pita Pita Taumoepenu was named the UFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Once again, the loyal St. Louis fans led the league in attendance. With all the awards and accolades heaped on the team, one award deserves to be singled out.
Battlehawks linebacker Travis Feeney was awarded the UFL Sportsman of the Year award in recognition of his outstanding community service. Selected by a panel of coaches, executives, and players from all eight teams, the award is given to the athlete who exemplifies exceptional leadership, integrity, and a profound commitment to making a difference both on the field and in the community.
Like the NFL Walter Payton Man of The Year award, given to an NFL player in recognition of his excellence on and off the field, the UFL honor exemplifies someone whose contribution goes beyond the game of football. This award is perhaps the most important one of all. The recipient is someone who provides a positive role model and has a lasting impact that transcends the game of football.
Travis Feeney, The Athlete
A native of Richmond, California, Feeney played football for the University of Washington. A standout talent, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft. Although he didn’t make the roster his rookie year, Feeney was signed to the Steelers practice squad. In December of 2016, he was poached off the Steeler’s practice squad by the New Orleans Saints.
Waived by the Saints six months later, Feeney fell into the familiar cycle of on-again, off-again stints with CFL and AAF teams before landing with the USFL Tampa Bay Bandits in 2022.
His time with the Bandits led to his second-round selection by the Battlehawks in the 2023 XFL Supplemental Draft. He re-signed with the team following the UFL merger.
In his two years in the UFL, Feeney has appeared in 22 games with the Battlehawks and recorded 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a pass defense. In Week 8 this season, Feeney was named the UFL Defensive Player of the Week recording 1.5 sacks, 5 tackles, and two forced fumbles. His strip sack of Birmingham Stallions quarterback J’Mar Smith forced the fumble that led to the Battlehawks 29-28 victory over the Stallions.
Discovering A Passion For Volunteer Work
Feeney is a passionate animal lover and animal welfare advocate. During the UFL season, he is a familiar presence at the local Texas SPCA, frequently putting in six-hour shifts. A dedicated shelter volunteer, Feeney exercises the dogs and helps to train and socialize them so they can find their forever homes. His passion for the dogs and can-do attitude are truly appreciated by the shelter workers. Staff members wrote nomination letters praising Feeney’s commitment and contribution. “I truly am grateful for Travis’s dedication and the positive impact he has had on our organization and the animals in our care!”
Another staff member wrote, “He’s simply fantastic! He spends so much time here with the animals—gets them out running and engaged.”
Feeney loves seeing how even the shyest and most reticent of dogs grow in confidence in response to his care.
“Volunteering makes me feel really good like I’m making a change,” Travis smiled. “Honestly I love animals and being around the dogs is something that’s just as big a passion as playing football is for me.”
In addition to Feeney’s efforts on behalf of the Texas SPCA shelter, he also works with the St. Louis-based CARE STL Adoption Center. He devotes time to other causes in support of veterans, and community outreach, and serves as an ambassador for the American Cancer Society.
Upon learning of the award, St. Louis head coach Anthony Becht said, “Not just this year, but over the last three years, no one embodies this award more than Travis. His commitment on and off the field has been tremendous. Travis has been an advocate of the St. Louis and UFL community, and we couldn’t be prouder that he’s the recipient of the Sportsman of the Year Award.”
Although amazing athletic feats attract the most attention, sometimes an athlete’s off-field contributions will have the most profound and lasting impact.
