Nixon Named Bednarik Semifinalist; Taylor Named Guy Semifinalist/Clark Named B1G Player, Freshman of the Week

Credit Source: University of Iowa Athletics

Nixon Named Bednarik Semifinalist; Taylor Named Guy Semifinalist 

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior defensive lineman Daviyon Nixon has been named one of 18 semifinalists for the 2020 Chuck Bednarik Award, which is presented to the nation’s most outstanding defensive player.

Freshman punter Tory Taylor has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2020 Ray Guy Award. The award honors the best collegiate punter.

Nixon is Iowa’s first Bednarik Award semifinalist since Josey Jewell and Josh Jackson in 2017, and Taylor is only the second Hawkeye in school history to be named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award. Ryan Donahue was a semifinalist in 2009 and one of three finalists in 2010.

Nixon, a Kenosha, Wisconsin, native, is the only player from the Big Ten and one of six defensive lineman to be named a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award.

Nixon leads the Big Ten with 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. His 41 tackles (21 solo, 20 assists) are the most among Big Ten defensive lineman and third most among Iowa’s defense. Nixon has also tallied one interception, one forced fumble, one pass break-up, and one quarterback hit. Nixon returned his first career interception for 71 yards for his first career touchdown in Iowa’s 41-21 win at Penn State.

Nixon has helped lead an Iowa defense that ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.3), total defense (326.4), and rush defense (115.0), and fourth in pass defense (211.4).

Taylor, a Melbourne, Australia, native, is one of only two Big Ten punters (Haydon Whitehead, Indiana) and one of three underclassmen (Nik Constantinou, Texas A&M; Porter Wilson, Duke) to be named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award.

Taylor has averaged 44.6 yards on 32 punts this season, which ranks third best in the conference and 18th best in the nation. Taylor has downed 17 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, along with zero touchbacks. Iowa opponents are averaging only 5.2 yards on six returns and have lost two fumbles while fielding punts.

Taylor, who was recently named to the FWAA’s Freshman All-American Watch List, has nine punts of 50 yards or more, including a season-best 61-yard punt against Michigan State. Taylor’s latest performance against Illinois featured five punts, with two punts downed inside the 20-yard line, a long of 54 yards, and a 42-yard average.

Three finalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced Dec. 21 by the Maxwell Football Club. Three finalists for the Ray Guy Award will be announced Dec. 22. Winners for both awards will be announced Jan. 7, 2021 live on The Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN.

No. 18/19 Iowa (5-2) wraps up the regular season on Saturday at home against No. 25 Wisconsin (2-2). Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) and the game will be televised on FS1 or BTN.

Clark Named B1G Player, Freshman of the Week

Credit Source: University of Iowa Athletics

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa freshman Caitlin Clark was named Big Ten Women’s Basketball Player and Freshman of the Week, the conference announced Monday.

 

Clark’s Player of the Week nod is the first Big Ten weekly honor for a Hawkeye since Kathleen Doyle earned the award on Feb. 10, 2020. Clark is the first Big Ten student-athlete to be honored with both awards in a single week since Nebraska’s Jessica Shepard on Jan. 25, 2016. She is the second Hawkeye to win both in the same week — Sam Logic earned both honors twice in 2012 (Feb. 14, Feb. 28).

 

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native averaged 26.5 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and 2.5 steals in the Hawkeyes wins over Drake and Wisconsin. In Iowa’s in-state bout versus Drake, Clark tallied 30 points, 13 assists, four steals, three rebounds, and a block. Against Wisconsin, she posted 23 points, five assists, five rebounds, and a steal.

 

Clark is the only freshman in the nation to put up 30 points and have at least 10 assists in a single game (since 2015-16). Clark’s 30 points is the most from a Big Ten freshman since Michigan’s Haillie Thome scored 31 against Minnesota on Jan. 31, 2016. Clark’s 13 assists are the most from a Big Ten Freshman since Maryland’s Destiny Slocum had 13 against Illinois on February 9, 2017.

Clark and the Hawkeyes host Iowa State on Wednesday for the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk game. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. (CT). The game will be streamed on BTN Plus. Iowa returns hits the road on Saturday to take on Michigan State. Tipoff is yet to be set.

Golston Named Lott IMPACT Trophy Semifinalist

Credit Source: University of Iowa Athletics

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior defensive end Chauncey Golston has been named one of 24 semifinalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy.

The award is presented to the nation’s best IMPACT player – on and off the field – at the end of the season. IMPACT stands for Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity.

A.J. Epenesa was a quarterfinalist for the award last season, while Josey Jewell was the Lott IMPACT Trophy winner in 2017.

Golston, a Detroit, Michigan, native is one of four Big Ten student-athletes to be named a semifinalist. Golston has recorded 36 tackles (20 solo, 16 assists), with 7.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, one interception, one pass break-up, two quarterback hurries, and a forced fumble.

His 4.5 sacks rank fourth best in the conference and 7.5 tackles for loss rank seventh best.

Golston’s eight tackles against Illinois set a season high. Against Nebraska, Golston sacked quarterback Adrian Martinez late in the fourth quarter, forcing a fumble to seal the victory.

Golston is part of an Iowa defense that ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.3), total defense (326.4), and rush defense (115.0), and fourth in pass defense (211.4). Iowa’s defense has played 21 straight games without surrendering 25 points – the longest streak in the nation among Power 5 teams.

Six finalists for the Lott IMPACT Trophy will be announced Jan. 8, 2021, with the winner being announced Feb. 21.

 No. 18/19 Iowa (5-2) faces No. 25 Wisconsin (2-2) in a battle for the Heartland Trophy at Kinnick Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. (CT) and the game will be televised on FS1 or BTN.