Receiver Tim Benford named Tech's Outstandng Male Athlete for 2011-12
In a close votes, wide receiver Tim Benford is Tennessee Tech's Outstanding Male Athlete for 2011-12. Currently with the Dallas Cowboys, Benford helped the Golden Eagles capture the 2011 Ohio Valley Conference championship while setting numerous school records.
By Thomas Corhern
Cookeville Herald-Citizen Sports
COOKEVILLE -- It was the longest drought in the Ohio Valley
Conference between football championships. Nearly four decades had
passed since the Tennessee Tech football team was able to hoist the
conference championship trophy, but the Golden Eagles found a
way.
It took hard work and effort from a lot of names and faces, but
there was no denying that Tech senior wide receiver Tim Benford
carried a heavy part of the load.
Now, working for a spot on the Dallas Cowboys' roster after
signing as an undrafted free agent in April, Benford has a new
title to add to his repetoire -- Tennessee Tech's Male Athlete of
the Year.
Benford beat out nine other strong candidates for the award,
topping Syrym Abdukhalikov (tennis), Alejandro Augusto (tennis),
Jud Dillard (basketball), Dontey Gay (football), John Greene (cross
country), Tre Lamb (football), Kevin Murphy (basketball), Zach
Stephens (baseball) and Richmond Tooley (football).
In the 19 years the award has been given since 1994, 10 winners
have come from football with Benford joining such illustrious
standouts as Mike Jones (1994), Michael Penix (1996), Andre
Caballero (1998), Branon Vaughn (1999, 2000), Chad Evitts (2001),
Grant Swallows (2002), Frank Omiyale (2005), Larry Shipp (2008),
and now Benford.
"Tim just had a great career here," said Tech football coach
Watson Brown. "I'm just very proud of him. He broke all of these
records, he was a player of the year in the conference. He did it
all for us and he was one of the many factors that helped lead us
win a championship."
With four of the ten finalists coming out of the football program,
it showed how important winning the team's first OVC championship
since 1975 and claiming its first appearance in the NCAA Football
Championship Subdivision playoffs was to the university.
And Benford was one of the driving forces.
