Dec. 8, 2015
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State junior running back Donnel Pumphrey (Las Vegas) was awarded the John Simcox Memorial Trophy as the 2015 team MVP at the team's annual banquet on Sunday. It was the second straight year that he won the team's MVP award, the first time that has happened since Kirk Morrison in 2003 and 2004 and just the fifth time in program history (also Marshall Faulk in 1992-93, Todd Santos in 1986-87 and Gary Garrison in 1964-65).
Pumphrey also took home the Byron H. Chase Memorial Offensive Player-of-the-Year award for the second consecutive season after rushing for 1,554 yards and 16 touchdowns so far this season, while adding a team-high 27 catches for 397 yards and three more touchdowns. Last week Pumphrey was named the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.
Junior cornerback Damontae Kazee (San Bernardino, Calif.) and junior linebacker Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.) shared the Byron H. Chase Memorial Defensive Player-of-the-Year award. Kazee, the MW Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team all-MW pick, has 69 tackles (53 solo) to go along with seven interceptions, seven pass breakups, 5.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Munson, who also won the same award last year and picked up all-league first-team honors this season, leads SDSU with 92 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks, while adding two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions (both returned for touchdowns) and two pass breakups.
San Diego State senior linebacker Jake Fely (Oceanside, Calif.), senior fullback Dakota Gordon (Clovis, Calif.), senior offensive lineman Pearce Slater (Los Angeles) and senior cornerback J.J. Whittaker (Oceanside, Calif.) each received the Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson 2015 Captain's Awards, while Fely and Whittaker both were named the team's Most Inspirational Players.
Senior cornerback Pierre Romain (Los Angeles) came away with the President's Award for High Achievement, Slater was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year, helping the Aztecs set a school single-season record with 3,059 rushing yards en route to a first-team all-MW selection, and junior Alex Barrett (Mesa, Ariz.) (59 tackles, 13.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 2 FF) was selected as the Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second consecutive season, also earning first-team all-MW honors in the process.
Sophomore Rashaad Penny (Norwalk, Calif.) earned the team's Special Teams Outstanding Player of the Year, returning 23 kicks for 704 yards (30.6 avg.) and two touchdowns, and adding five special teams tackles. Penny was also named the MW Special Teams Player of the Year last week.
Parker Baldwin (Siloam Springs, Ark.) picked up the team's Outstanding Freshman Award after totaling 14 tackles so far to go along with a 28-yard interception and a forced fumble, and being one of SDSU's most productive special team players.
Freshman Ryan Agnew (Southlake, Texas) was chosen as the Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year, freshman Kyahva Tezino (Los Angeles) as the Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year and freshman Jeff Clay (Lancaster, Calif.) as the Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Year.
San Diego State (10-3) plays Cincinnati (7-5) on Dec. 24 in the Hawai`i Bowl. The Aztecs have won their last nine games, the third-longest active streak in the nation. SDSU finished a perfect 8-0 record in the Mountain West regular season and defeated Air Force, 27-24, on Saturday in the 2015 Sports Authority MW Championship for the school's 20th conference title. San Diego State is one of just 25 schools to advance to six straight bowl games and one of just three "Group of 5" programs.
Tickets for the Hawai`i Bowl are on sale now and available for $45 with no limit on the amount of tickets allowed to be purchased. Season-ticket holders will be given priority seat placement (by points). Additionally, a special ticket and tailgate combo is available for $70. Fans also have the opportunity to sponsor a spirit squad member, a member of the military or a youth for $45.
Tickets are available through GoAztecs.com, Qualcomm Window E or by calling (619) 283-7378.
2015 SDSU Team Awards
John Simcox Memorial Trophy
Most Valuable Player
Donnel Pumphrey
Byron H. Chase Memorial Trophy
Offensive Player of the Year
Donnel Pumphrey
Defensive Players of the Year
Damontae Kazee
Calvin Munson
Dr. R. Hardy/C.E. Peterson Memorial Trophy
Captain's Awards
Jake Fely
Dakota Gordon
Pearce Slater
J.J. Whittaker
President's Award
High Academic Achievement
Pierre Romain
Most Inspirational Players
Jake Fely
J.J. Whittaker
Most Valuable Special Teams Player
Rashaad Penny
Outstanding Freshman Award
Parker Baldwin
Offensive Lineman of the Year
Pearce Slater
Defensive Lineman of the Year
Alex Barrett
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Ryan Agnew
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year
Kyahva Tezino
Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Year
Jeff Clay