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The University of Virginia football program presented the team awards for the 2007 season Saturday night (Jan. 26) at its annual team banquet.
Senior defensive end Chris Long was the recipient of two team awardsthe Ned McDonald Award as the team’s outstanding defensive player and the Colonel F.C. McCue Award as the outstanding interior linemanthe second year in a row he has received these awards. Just the third player in school history named a unanimous All-American, Long turned in an outstanding fall campaign. The winner of the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, he led the Atlantic Coast Conference in sacks and tackles for loss this season while ranking seventh in the country among linemen in tackling.
Senior tight end Tom Santi was presented the Joe Palumbo Award for self-sacrifice, dedication and enthusiasm. He earned second-team All-ACC honors this season and was the recipient of the Jim Tatum Award as the conference’s top student-athlete among senior football players. He lead the team with 418 receiving yards and was third with 36 catches.
Senior fullback and special teams standout Josh Zidenberg was presented with the John Polzer Award for ability, sportsmanship and character. Joining the team as a walk-on in 2004, he quickly established himself as one of the team’s leading special teams performers and typically played on four of the six units. This season he was the team leader with nine tackles in punt coverage and was second with seven tackles on kickoffs. He also averaged 22.7 yards per kickoff return and caught four passes out of the backfield.
Senior center Jordy Lipsey and senior safety Nate Lyles were named co-recipients of the Speed Elliot Award as the most improved player. An ironman who played nearly every play, Lipsey started all 25 games during the last two seasons, the longest streak by a Cavalier center since Harold Garren started 33 in a row from 1983-85. Lyles was a three-year starter at safety who finished with 160 tackles and three interceptions. He made a career-high 68 tackles this season, including at least five on eight occasions.
Senior kicking specialist Chris Gould received the George Welsh Special Teams Award for outstanding special teams play. He kicked 16 field goals this season, seventh in school history, including two game-winners. As the team’s pooch punter, he dropped 19 of 26 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line this fall.
Sophomore quarterback Jameel Sewell and sophomore tailback Mikell Simpson shared the Ben Wilson Award as the team’s outstanding offensive players. Sewell started every game and led the team to five come-from-behind fourth-quarter wins while passing for 2176 yards and 12 touchdowns. Simpson seemingly came out of nowhere to shine in the second half of the season following a series of injuries to the players ahead of him. He was second on the team in rushing with 570 yards and led the squad with 43 receptions despite seeing very little playing time during the first half of the year. His 10 touchdowns were a team high.
Cornerback Ras-I Dowling received the Bill Dudley Award at the team’s most outstanding first-year player. As a true freshman, he played in 12 games, starting three. He shared the team lead with two interceptions and five pass break-ups. He also was in on 44 tackles and led the squad with 16 tackles in kickoff coverage.