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University of Minnesota Athletics
Jermaine Mays Named Golden Gopher Football Team MVP
11/25/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Mays, a native of Miami, Fla., has been a standout in several areas of the Minnesota lineup this season, performing exceptionally on offense at wide receiver and in special teams in a variety of roles. As a wideout in 2002, Mays caught four passes for 19 yards. He led the 2002 Golden Gophers in kick returns with 16 returns for 310 yards. Mays also returned five punts for 51 yards this season. On kick and punt coverage teams, he tallied eight tackles. Most notably this season, Mays blocked a school-record five punts to lead the nation. In addition, Mays returned two of the blocked punts for touchdowns. He also was named the co-special teams MVP with kicker Dan Nystrom. For his career, Mays has six blocked punts and has returned his own blocked kick for a touchdown and has also had a kickoff return for a touchdown.
Sophomore running back Terry Jackson II earned the Bruce Smith Award as the team's offensive MVP. The Saginaw, Mich. native became the seventh player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season and set the two-game school rushing record with 477 yards in games against Northwestern (239) and Michigan State (238). Jackson is sixth in the Big Ten in rushing with 1,281 yards.
Junior free safety Eli Ward took home the Carl Eller Award as the defensive MVP. A native of Akron, Ohio, Ward led the 2002 Golden Gophers in tackles with 113, fumbles recovered with two and passes defended with seven.
Team captains for the 2003 season will be announced at a later date.
This year's awards and honorees are:
BRONKO NAGURSKI AWARD (presented to the team's most valuable player):
Jermaine Mays (senior wide receiver; Miami, Fla.)
CARL ELLER AWARD (presented to the team's outstanding defensive player):
Eli Ward (junior free safety; Akron, Ohio)
BRUCE SMITH AWARD (presented to the team's outstanding offensive player):
Terry Jackson II (sophomore running back; Saginaw, Mich.)
BOBBY BELL AWARD (presented to the outstanding special teams player):
Dan Nystrom (senior placekicker; New Hope, Minn.)
Jermaine Mays (senior wide receiver; Miami, Fla.)
BUTCH NASH AWARD (for competitiveness on the field and in the classroom):
Dan Kwapinski (junior defensive tackle; Fort Ransom, N.D.)
PAUL GIEL AWARD (for total unselfishness and most concern about the University of Minnesota):
Jeremiah Carter (senior offensive tackle; St. Paul, Minn.)
NEIL FREDENBURG AWARD (courage and love for the game):
Jeremiah Carter (senior offensive tackle; St. Paul, Minn.)
DEFENSIVE DEMO (for outstanding performance on the defensive demonstration team):
Eric Clark (freshman defensive tackle; Tampa, Fla.)
Pat McCarthy (freshman linebacker; Neenah, Wis.)
Chris Holden (freshman linebacker; Eden Prairie, Minn.)
Eric Washington (freshman linebacker; Detroit, Mich.)
OFFENSIVE DEMO (for outstanding performance on the offensive demonstration team):
Zack Kartak (junior running back; North Branch, Minn.)
