July 20, 2016

Six finalists named for Tennessee Tech's 2016 Man of the Year Award

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech University Athletic Department has announced the names of six finalists for the school’s 2016 Man of the Year Award, with the winner to be announced Sunday, July 24.

By TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech University Athletic Department has announced the names of six finalists for the school's 2016 Man of the Year Award, with the winner to be announced Sunday, July 24.

To be eligible for the Man of the Year Award, a student-athlete must be a senior or graduate student who has completed his athletic eligibility during 2015-16. Criteria for selecting the award include both athletic and academic accomplishments, as well as additional areas such as community and campus involvement and public service activities.

The Man of the Year Award was established in 1993, and 23 winners have been selected in the previous 23 years. The previous winners are:

1993 - Ben Holt (Baseball)
1994 - Mike Kinney (Baseball)
1995 - Willie Queen (Football)
1996 - Gerald Bentley (Football)
1997 - Robert Taylor (Football)
1998 - Jeff Norman (Football)
1999 - T.J. Christian (Football)
2000 - Wes Gallagher (Football)
2001 - Larrie Smith (Basketball)
2002 - Grant Swallows (Football)
2003 - Brent Jolly (Basketball)
2004 - Luis Aquerrevere (Tennis)
2005 - Brett Vavra (Football)
2006 - David McMahan (Football)
2007 - Anthony Ash (Football)
2008 - Thomas Nelson (Baseball)
2009 - Bradley Thompson (Football)
2010 - Josh Simer (Golf)
2011 - Kelechi Ordu (Football)
2012 - Corey Watson (Football)
2013 - Tristan Archer (Baseball)
2014 - Dennis Ogbe (Basketball)
2015 - Marty Jones (Football)

The Awards Committee has selected four members of the football team, and one each from basketball and golf. The finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are:

Radir Annoor | Senior | Nashville, Tenn. | Football
A reliable running back on the gridiron throughout his Tennessee Tech tenure, Radir Annoor was just as dynamic in the classroom, pushing the academic bar towards greater heights for his fellow Golden Eagles. The Nashville native was one of just three Tech football student-athletes to be selected to the prestigious Hampshire Honor Society for outstanding academic achievement as recognized by the National Football Foundation. The selection was one of only 10 in the Ohio Valley Conference and was one of many academic accolades registered for the 5-foot-11, 200-pound senior. Annoor was also one of three Golden Eagles to be named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team and was recognized as an Arthur Ashe Sports-Scholar Award winner by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. The senior running back was named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in both semesters, reserving a spot in the exclusive Gold Club during the fall semester, recognizing those students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Overall, Annoor wrapped up his collegiate career with a 3.75 GPA. On the field, Annoor's combination of power and speed led him to nearly 4.5 rushing yards per carry, finishing the season fourth on the Golden Eagles in rushing yards and second in kick return yardage.

Stephen Bush | Senior | Cookeville, Tenn. | Football
Stephen Bush exemplified the characteristics of what it means to be a student-athlete, excelling on the gridiron and in the classroom as one of the leaders on the Tennessee Tech football team. From the get go, the Cookeville native displayed a great deal of selflessness when asked to change his position at the beginning of the season from running back to a member of the secondary, before thriving in his new role with the Golden Eagles. Bush led the Ohio Valley Conference with three forced fumbles and had one fumble recovery while ranking fifth on the team with 49 total tackles, including three tackles-for-loss in his only season on defense. Off the field, the accolades showered down on the red-shirt senior, highlighted with a selection as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star Team, one of only two players in the OVC to secure a spot in the exclusive club. Bush was also one of three Golden Eagles to be named to the both CoSIDA Academic All-District team as well as a reservation to the prestigious Hampshire Honor Society for outstanding academic achievement as recognized by the National Football Foundation, one of just 10 student-athletes in the OVC to receive such a distinction. Additionally, Bush was named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in his final semester at TTU, and was honored for his leadership abilities after being presented with both the Sonny Allen Team Leadership Award, as well as the Bill Dupes Inspiration Award at the annual team awards dinner back in February. Bush also received the department's monthly Unsung Leader Award back in December.

Brett Dillard | Senior | Mt. Juliet, Tenn. | Football
A key contributor on the offensive line, Brett Dillard shined off the gridiron as an exceptional student and active member in the community. The Mt. Juliet, Tenn. native served as a staple in the trenches, playing in all 11 games in 2015. In the classroom, Dillard maintained a cumulative grade point average of 3.77 and was named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in both semesters, including taking home a spot on the Gold Club during the spring, recognizing those students with a perfect 4.0 GPA. The strong academic prowess was put on full display in March after Dillard was awarded as Tennessee Tech's University Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation at the Middle Tennessee Chapter Awards Banquet in Nashville. The honor was only the beginning for the 6-foot-3, 280-pound lineman, who was one of three Golden Eagles to be selected to the prestigious Hampshire Honor Society for outstanding academic achievement as recognized by the National Football Foundation, one of just 10 student-athletes in the OVC to receive such a distinction. The academic success proved to only be the tip of the iceberg for Dillard, who also soared in the community. Among his community activities, Dillard took a mission trip to Honduras and Haiti, and served his church, as well as a campus ministry. He was also recognizable in the Tech Athletics scene, taking a role in facilities management and field maintenance with the facilities staff.

Anthony Morse | Senior | Lawrenceville, Ga. | Basketball
The only four-year member of the 2015-16 Golden Eagle men's basketball team, Morse used his leadership abilities to help turn around a squad that didn't make the OVC Tournament one season prior into a title contender as a senior. Saving his best and most productive season for last, the big man started all 31 games for Tech while guiding the purple and gold to a 19-12 record and the team's first postseason bid since 2011-12, a trip to the inaugural Vegas 16 Tournament. A year after claiming just four conference wins, Morse helped Tech to an 11-5 mark in the league and a trip back to the OVC Tournament while starting in 30 and appearing in all 31 of the team's contests. He averaged 7.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game while leading the Ohio Valley Conference with 1.9 blocks per game. The senior rejected a whopping 59 shots on the year, the most by a Golden Eagle since Daniel Northern blocked 75 in the 2008-09 campaign. He used those shot-blocking skills to reject 110 shots in as many games played in his career, the fourth-most in program history. A fan favorite due to his high-level of athleticism, jaw-dropping dunks and fierce shot-blocking ability, Morse was also a favorite of those in the community, spending time volunteering at Hector Black's farm, at Algood Elementary's Tomahawk Trot and at Capshaw Elementary's Cougar Run. He assisted in several food drives and took part in each of the Tech squad's several community service projects and events while on its trip to the Dominican Republic in the summer of 2014. In the classroom, he was a two-time member of the Athletic Director's honor roll, on his way to earning his degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Jay Rudwall | Senior | Ooltewah, Tenn. | Football
Always a force the be reckoned with throughout his Tennessee Tech tenure, Jay Rudwall established himself as an elite defensive presence in the Ohio Valley Conference, while also maintaining a high level of excellence off the field. A starter at inside linebacker, the Ooltewah, Tenn. native ranked second on the team and third in the OVC with 103 tackles, an average of 9.2 tackles per game. It marked his second consecutive season topping 100 total tackles, raising his career total to an impressive 275. Among the year's highlights, Rudwall notched a season-high 15 tackles against No. 1 Jacksonville State on Oct. 17, and recorded a sack at FBS opponent Houston in the season-opener on Sep. 5. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior also registered a pair of fumble recoveries. Coupled with his off the field merit, Rudwall was named as a 2015 Hammer Strength All-American, an honor announced by Hammer Strength, a Life Fitness-owned performance brand of strength equipment, in partnership with the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). To be considered as a Hammer Strength All-American, student-athletes were judged on their personal qualities and achievements in terms of work ethic, leadership, consistency and academic performance.

Mitch Thomas | Senior | Knoxville, Tenn. | Golf
Named a co-captain of the Golden Eagles in his fourth and final season, Mitch Thomas wrapped up a stellar career on the links by leading his team in scoring average with a mark of 73.32, which also ranked in the top 10 in the Ohio Valley Conference. Backed by steady play that saw eight top 20 finishes in 11 events, the veteran earned a spot on the All-OVC Team, his second such honor of his career. Thomas turned in his best scorecard of the season in the first event, carding a 211 at the GolfWeek Program Challenge. He also posted his best individual round at the event, firing a third-round 67, one of the top 15 lowest rounds in program history and fourth lowest of his career. Wrapping up his final season, Thomas took home the Gilbert Darcy Most Valuable Player award for the Tech squad. He also claimed the Best Putter and Low Average awards while finishing as one of the most consistent players in school history with a 73.89 career average. Thomas has been a model of consistency in the classroom as well, earning a place on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll in each of his eight semesters, including a spot in the Gold Club for a perfect 4.0 semester in the spring. His cumulative 3.56 GPA has earned him a place on the OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll three times and a GCAA Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar honor last year. While earning his bachelor's degree in accounting, he was a three-year member of the Tennessee Tech Accounting Club while also serving as a member of SAAC for four years. In the community, Thomas has been active in teaching young athletes to improve their golf game at Algood Middle Schood and encourage an active lifestyle for the children of Capshaw Elementary School at their annual Cougar Run. He also never missed a chance to ring bells and collect donations for the Cookeville Rescue Mission over the Christmas holidays.