NEWPORT BEACH, Ca. – University of Connecticut senior defensive tackle Kendall Reyes has been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, honoring the top collegiate defensive player in the country. Reyes is the only BIG EAST player to be named to the list.
Reyes has started 29 games for the Huskies over the past three seasons and earned First Team All-BIG EAST honors last year. He started all 13 games in 2010 as the Huskies won the BIG EAST Championship and played in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.
Reyes made 39 tackles for the Huskies in 2010 and has a total of 98 for his career. He tied for third on the team in tackles for a loss with ten and also made 2.5 sacks.
This is the eighth year that the IMPACT Foundation has recognized the student-athletes throughout the nation who have had the biggest IMPACT on their teams both on and off the field. IMPACT is an acronym for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity, characteristics that Ronnie Lott exhibited throughout his brilliant Hall of Fame career at both USC and in the National Football League.
The 2011 list of 42 (Lott’s uniform number) includes 19 defensive backs, 14 linebackers and nine defensive linemen.
The Lott Trophy has now donated nearly $850,000 to charities since its inception in 2004, including $275,000 to 23 different universities. The winners’ school receives $25,000 annually, each of the three runner-ups $5,000 and the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week $1,000.
A national voter panel, made up of more than 200 former collegiate stars, former college coaches, members of the media and both the Lott IMPACT Board of Directors and Board of Advisors, will select the four finalists who will be honored at the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy banquet Dec. 11 in Newport Beach.
For a full look at the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.
The 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
- Emmanuel Acho, Texas, LB
- Ray-Ray Armstrong, Miami, DB
- Mark Barron, Alabama, S
- Jake Bequette, Arkansas, DL
- Omar Bolden, Arizona State, CB
- Nigel Bradham, Florida State, LB
- Brodrick Brown, Oklahoma State, CB
- Tank Carder, TCU, LB
- Quinton Coples, North Carolina, DE
- Jared Crick, Nebraska, DL
- Lavonte David, Nebraska, LB
- Matt Daniels, Duke, S
- Tony Dye, UCLA, S
- Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina, CB
- Cliff Harris, Oregon, CB
- Aaron Henry, Wisconsin, DB
- Dont’a Hightower, Alabama, LB
- Joe Holland, Purdue, LB
- Jayron Hosley, Virginia Tech, CB
- Delano Howell, Stanford, DB
- Brandon Jenkins, Florida State, DE
- Janois Jenkins, Florida, CB
- Mychal Kendricks, Cal, LB
- Jordan Kovacs, Michigan, S
- Luke Kuechly, Boston College, LB
- Travis Lewis, Oklahoma, LB
- Chris Marve, Vanderbilt, LB
- T.J. McDonald, USC, S
- Matt Merletti, North Carolina, S
- Chase Minnifield, Virginia, CB
- Tyler Nielsen, Iowa, LB
- Kendall Reyes, Connecticut, DT
- John Simon, Ohio State, DT
- Shayne Skov, Stanford, LB
- Jacquies Smith, Missouri, DE
- Sean Spence, Miami, LB
- Kenny Tate, Maryland, S
- Brandon Taylor, LSU, S
- Manti Te’o, Notre Dame, LB
- Prentiss Waggner, Tennessee, S
- Billy Winn, Boise State, DE
- Jerel Worthy, Michigan State, DT
Game Two between the Whale and the Pirates will be Saturday night, also in Portland.
Matt DeGennaro and Mike Rembish, who served as captains of the 1990 team, will be with the White team while Sean Mulcahy and Uyi Osunde from the 2003 team will be with the Blue team.
The bad news is the fact that the Boston Red Sox game tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays is postponed due to rain. The good news is since they aren’t playing, they can’t lose tonight.