The University of Akron Athletics
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Akron’s Gilbert Named to Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
July 13 | Football
Zips Kick Off 2017 Season on Sept. 2
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2017 SEASON TICKETS
DALLAS – University of Akron junior linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) has been named to the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Watch List, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Charlotte Touchdown Club announced on Thursday.
The preseason list contains 103 defensive standouts player from all 10 Division I FBS conferences.
The Bronko Nagurski is presented annually to college football's best defensive player. Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous seasons, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday throughout the season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 16.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Dec. 4 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner's announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the CTC and Florida East Coast Railway.
For more on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.ncfaa.org.
Named the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Player following the 2016 season, Gilbert was a first-team All-MAC honoree as a sophomore. Gilbert started all 12 games at Will linebacker. He led the Zips' defense with 122 tackles, 11.5 TFL, eight hurries, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. A CoSIDA Academic All-America candidate, Gilbert earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week and Zips' Student-Athlete of the Week honors on Oct. 3 following UA's Wagon Wheel win over Kent State. Gilbert led the defense with a career-high 16 tackles, including a career-best 10 solo stops and a career-high 3.0 TFL. A sport science major with a 3.347 grade-point average, Gilbert was named a MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete as well as an Academic All-MAC selection.
Under the guidance of sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden, Akron returns 57 letterwinners, including 15 starters, to its spread offense and 4-3 defense. The Zips open the 2017 season at Penn State on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Noon on ABC. In the home opener, Akron hosts Arkansas Pine Bluff on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN3.
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all six home games as well as a parking pass—start at only $60 each. Renewals (for current season ticket holders) and new seats are now available for purchase by calling 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets) during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Group tickets start at $10 each (with a minimum of 15 people).
2017 SEASON TICKETS
DALLAS – University of Akron junior linebacker Ulysees Gilbert III (Ocala, Fla.) has been named to the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Watch List, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and the Charlotte Touchdown Club announced on Thursday.
The preseason list contains 103 defensive standouts player from all 10 Division I FBS conferences.
The Bronko Nagurski is presented annually to college football's best defensive player. Players may be added or removed from the watch list during the course of the season. As in previous seasons, the FWAA will announce a National Defensive Player of the Week each Tuesday throughout the season. If not already on the watch list, each week's honored player will be added at that time. The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club will announce five finalists for the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Nov. 16.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from those five finalists. The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association's full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on Dec. 4 at the Charlotte Convention Center. In addition to the 2017 Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner's announcement, the banquet will also celebrate the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Legends Award, sponsored by the CTC and Florida East Coast Railway.
For more on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and a list of past recipients, visit www.ncfaa.org.
Named the team's Most Outstanding Defensive Player following the 2016 season, Gilbert was a first-team All-MAC honoree as a sophomore. Gilbert started all 12 games at Will linebacker. He led the Zips' defense with 122 tackles, 11.5 TFL, eight hurries, four sacks, and two forced fumbles. A CoSIDA Academic All-America candidate, Gilbert earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week and Zips' Student-Athlete of the Week honors on Oct. 3 following UA's Wagon Wheel win over Kent State. Gilbert led the defense with a career-high 16 tackles, including a career-best 10 solo stops and a career-high 3.0 TFL. A sport science major with a 3.347 grade-point average, Gilbert was named a MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete as well as an Academic All-MAC selection.
Under the guidance of sixth-year head coach Terry Bowden, Akron returns 57 letterwinners, including 15 starters, to its spread offense and 4-3 defense. The Zips open the 2017 season at Penn State on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Noon on ABC. In the home opener, Akron hosts Arkansas Pine Bluff on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN3.
Season ticket plans—which include a ticket to all six home games as well as a parking pass—start at only $60 each. Renewals (for current season ticket holders) and new seats are now available for purchase by calling 1-888-99-AKRON (25766) or visiting The C.P. and Cornelia S. Chima Athletics Ticket Office at InfoCision Stadium - Summa Field (located at 375 E. Exchange Street, near Gate 1 at the southwest corner of the venue, at the corner of E. Exchange and S. Union streets) during business hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).
Group tickets start at $10 each (with a minimum of 15 people).
Players Mentioned
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