Several Honored At End of Season Banquet

GREELEY, Colo. - "The highest award a player could receive is to be chosen as captain," said Northern Colorado head football coach Scott Downing in front of coaches, staff and student-athletes and families at the annual football banquet held this season at Aims Community College Education Center on Friday evening.

The event celebrated and acknowledged the team's 2009 season and the coaches presented several awards that were voted on by the players at the end of the season.

Team captain awards went to senior quarterback Bryan Waggener, junior linebackers John Eddy and Matt King and junior cornerback Korey Askew.

Offensive Most Valuable Player went to Alex Thompson, while the Defensive award went to Eddy.

The Nottingham Award, given to the most inspirational player on the team was awarded to both senior defensive back CJ Stemo and senior tackle Michael Richards, who both overcame adversity to finish their careers at Northern Colorado.

For the third-straight season, senior defensive back Ryan Lutz was named the MVP of Special Teams.

The coaches also honored the Big Sky All-Conference selections a well as Tim McGraw, who was named to the ESPN The Magazine All-District Team for the second-consecutive year.

The Northern Colorado team went 3-8 this season and tallied a 1-7 mark in Big Sky Conference play.