Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
FAU’s Hendrickson top Conference USA defender
Another day, another postseason award for Florida Atlantic defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
This time, Hendrickson was named Conference USA’s Defensive Player of the Year on Wednesday, after starting the year as the conference’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
Hendrickson finished his senior season with 50 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks despite constantly facing double- and triple-teams.
On Tuesday, Hendrickson was named to Conference USA’s first-team for the second straight season. He has also accepted an invitation to the East-West Shrine Game in January.
Hendrickson leaves FAU as the program’s all-time leader in sacks, tackles for loss, forced fumbles, quarterback hurries, yards from sacks and yards from tackles for loss.
He owns the two most prolific seasons in FAU history in both sacks (13.5 in 2015 and 9.5 in 2016) and tackles for loss (15 in both 2015 and 2016).
Hendrickson is the first Owls player to win a conference individual award since former quarterback Jaquez Johnson won Conference USA’s Newcomer of the Year award in 2013.
Before that, only quarterback Rusty Smith (Sun Belt Player of the Year in 2007) and coach Howard Schnellenberger (Sun Belt Coach of the Year in 2007) took home individual awards.
Louisiana Tech quarterback Ryan Higgins was named the league’s MVP, and his main target, receiver Carlos Henderson, took home both Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year honors.
Louisiana Tech coach Skip Holtz was named the league’s Coach of the Year.
UTSA linebacker Josiah Tauaefa won Freshman of the Year honors. Western Kentucky quarterback and University School graduate Mike White was named Newcomer of the Year after transferring from South Florida.