Richmond Times-Dispatch Story
FERRUM, Va. -- Ferrum College freshman running back
Brian Mann has been named one of three finalists for the 2016 Willie Lanier Award, given to the top NCAA Division II, III or NAIA football player in the state of Virginia. The award is sponsored by the Richmond Times-Dispatch and the Touchdown Club of Richmond.
The Lanier Award is named after Willie Lanier, from Richmond, who played at Maggie Walker High School and Morgan State University. He was a star middle linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Mann joins senior defensive lineman Bryant Frazier of Virginia State University and senior wide receiver Taylor Loudan of Christopher Newport University. All three will be present at the 2016 Dudley/Lanier Award Banquet, to be held Monday, Dec. 12, in Richmond. All nominees were selected and submitted by the individual schools' sports information departments. Schools who chose not to nominate a player are omitted from the list.
Ferrum's Tim Reynolds was also a Lanier Award finalist at the close of his junior season in 2012 after leading the Panthers to a share of the USA South title. Reynolds was the 2012 USA South Offensive Player of the Year and an All-Conference first team selection.
Mann was the 2016 USA South Offensive Rookie of the Year and a first-team All-Conference selection after racking up a school record 1,453 yards rushing yards to go with with 14 touchdowns. He posted eight 100-yard rushing games, earned seven USA South Offensive Rookie of the Week honors, was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week Oct. 25 and was named WDBJ-7 Anchor All-Star Oct. 29.
Mann set four school records during his rookie campaign; single game rushing yards (254 vs. LaGrange Oct. 22), single game all-purpose yards (344 vs. Methodist Oct. 29), season rushing attempts (259) and season rushing yards (1453). He led the USA South in rushing yards (1453) and all-purpose yards (2019), and closed out the season ranked second among NCAA Division III players in kickoff return average (35.2 yd/ret) and second in all-purpose yards (201.9 yd/gm).
The Dudley Award is named after Bill Dudley, and is given annually to the state's top Division I football player. Dudley who was a standout at the University of Virginia and with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Detroit Lions and Washington Redskins. He is also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Finalists for this year's Dudley Award are James Madison University junior quarterback Bryan Schor, University of Richmond wide receiver Brian Brown, and University of Virginia junior linebacker Micah Kiser.
2016 LANIER AWARD NOMINEES
Zachary Blair, Sr., LB, U.Va.-Wise; Cole Burdette, Sr., DB, Randolph-Macon; Cedrick Delaney, Sr., RB, Shenandoah; Bryant Frazier, Sr., DL, Virginia State; Ty Jones, Fr., QB, Southern Virginia; Taylor Loudan, Sr. WR, Christopher Newport;
Brian Mann, Fr., RB, Ferrum; Ryan Ransom, Sr., DL, Apprentice School; William Stanback, Sr., RB, Virginia Union
The Dudley/Lanier Award Banquet is scheduled for Monday night at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa/Short Pump on 12042 West Broad Street in Richmond, Virginia. A social hour begins at 6:30 p.m., with the banquet slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $40.00 and may be purchased by contacting Ron Axselle at (804) 740-7055 or coachax@verizon.net, or Rudy Ward at (804) 389-6819 or rudyward73@gmail.com.
