Mike Hollins Named 2023 Brian Piccolo Award Recipient

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia graduate student running back Mike Hollins has been named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2023 Brian Piccolo Award, the league announced on Monday (Nov. 27).

The Piccolo Award has been given annually since 1970 in memory of the late Brian Piccolo to the “most courageous” football player in the ACC. As a standout running back at Wake Forest, Piccolo was the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965 and played for the Chicago Bears before his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer. His courageous fight against the disease was an inspiration to the Bears and the entire football community.

“When I received the news that I was named the Piccolo Award winner, I had to talk to the team that day at practice. I told them this was not a ‘me’ award, this was a ‘we’ award. And I really mean that. This year, together, we have gone through something we could have never imagined,” said Hollins. “I am proud to have been a part of a team that came to work, stayed motivated, and never lost focus. It is nice for the team to receive the recognition for the courage it displayed this year.”

On November 13, 2022, Hollins suffered two gunshot wounds to the back during a shooting that happened on a charter bus that was returning a group of Virginia students from a field trip to Washington, D.C. When gunshots were fired in the back of the bus – killing three of Hollins’ UVA teammates – he fled the bus but made the decision to return to assist his teammates and other students on the bus. He was confronted by the shooter near the front of the bus and shot in the back while attempting to leave the bus. Hollins managed to flee to a nearby parking garage, but fearing he may not be found there when aid workers arrived, went back to the bus area to await responders. Despite being involved in a horrendous shooting that also injured another UVA student, Hollins vowed to return to his team and play his final season at Virginia.

“Mike Hollins is one of those transformational type of individuals that we’ll look back years from now and say, wow, we were around somebody that is truly special. I don’t think any of us can really appreciate, or put into context mentally, what he had to do to be able to play football again this season,” stated Virginia head coach Tony Elliott. “He is an amazing young man. All season he played hard, he played focused, and he was a great leader for our football team. It was a hard and difficult season and yet, every day, Mike was a motivational force for all of us. Being around Mike has made me a better man and coach.”

Admitted to the hospital in critical condition on November 13, 2022, after being shot twice in the back in which the bullets narrowly missed his spine and created numerous injuries to his abdominal organs. He underwent two surgeries over the next few days to address those injuries and spent a week in the intensive care unit. His recovery required a period of eight weeks of inactivity to allow for healing. He returned to limited physical activity in mid-January, with the goals of increasing his fitness and regaining core stability. Hollins was able to participate in 2023 spring football on a limited basis and returned to unrestricted activity during summer conditioning.

Week 1 recipient of the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award, Hollins has returned after his recovery to play in 11 of 12 games this season for the Cavaliers. As part of a three-man rotation at running back this year, he has recorded 80 carries for 274 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns on the ground. He also has 10 receptions for 34 yards and one touchdown catch. Throughout the season, Hollins has served as UVA’s primary third-down back for short yardage and also for pass protection packages.

Named to the 2022 ACC All-Academic team and the 2022-23 ACC Honor Roll last year, Hollins is a semifinalist for the 2023 James Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and a nominee for the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award this year.

Hollins becomes the sixth student-athlete from Virginia to earn the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award and the first since safety Ryan Best in 2005.

ACC Brian Piccolo Award Winners