TIGER-CATS 2011 AWARD NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
Hamilton, Ontario – The Canadian Football League has unveiled the Hamilton Tiger-Cats nominees for the 2011 CFL Most Outstanding Player Awards.
Justin Hickman has been nominated as the Ticats Most Outstanding Player and Most Outstanding Defensive Player. The third-year defensive end currently sits second among all CFL players with 12 quarterback sacks and five forced fumbles, while adding 46 defensive tackles and two tackles for losses. This is Hickman’s first nomination for each award.
For the second consecutive year, Dave Stala has been named the team’s Most Outstanding Canadian. The veteran receiver has caught 50 passes for 687 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns this season.
Peter Dyakowski earned the Ticats Most Outstanding Lineman nomination. Dyakowski has been the driving force behind an offensive line that has paved the way for a league-leading 21 touchdowns while only allowing 32 sacks. This is Dyakowski’s first nomination as Most Outstanding Lineman.
Receiver/returner Chris Williams picked up the team’s nomination as Most Outstanding Rookie after hauling in 65 passes for 1,012 yards and six touchdowns in 2011. The first-year speedster has also proven himself as a dangerous special teams threat, returning 12 kickoffs for 252 yards and a touchdown as well as seven punts for 52 yards.
The Ticats Most Outstanding Special Teams Player is kicker/punter Justin Medlock. Medlock has been nearly automatic this season, converting 46 of 52 field goal attempts and all 45 of his convert attempts. Medlock’s average field goal length has been 37.9 yards – by far the longest average in the league – and he tied a Ticats record with a 57 yard field goal in week 4. The three-year CFL veteran has also averaged 41.1 yards per punt and 59.9 yards per kickoff.
The players were selected by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) and the CFL head coaches.
In this first ballot, FRC representatives from each CFL city plus the respective head coach submitted votes for the six categories. Voters were asked to select players from their local CFL club who through on-field performance excellence, best represent the awards’ title – Most Outstanding Player, Most Outstanding Canadian Player, Most Outstanding Defensive Player, Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman, Most Outstanding Rookie, and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player.
The East and West nominees for the 2011 Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards will be announced on Wednesday, November 9 at Noon ET.
The league-wide winners will be announced during Grey Cup week at the Gibson’s Finest CFL Player Awards on Thursday, November 24 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, B.C.
About the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a member of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with a rich 142-year history, which includes 15 Grey Cup Championships. For more information log onto www.ticats.ca
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