Ball State University Athletics
Football Players Honored at Awards Banquet
December 10, 2006 | Football
Erik Keys (Indianapolis, Ind./Broad Ripple H.S.)
, a senior safety for the Ball State University football team, was named the recipient of the 2006 John Magnabosco Award, which goes to the Cardinals' most valuable player. He received the award at the team's postseason banquet Sunday at the Horizon Convention Center in downtown Muncie.
The Magnabosco Award is named in honor of Ball State's head football coach from 1935-52. Magnabosco is the winningest football coach in Ball State history with 68 victories.
Keys, an All-Mid-American Conference Second Team selection this season, led the Cardinals with 90 tackles and tied a Ball State school record with four fumble recoveries. He also added four tackles for loss, one sack and one interception, which he returned 35 yards for a touchdown at No. 2 ranked Michigan.
Nate Davis (Bellaire, Ohio/Bellaire H.S.), a true freshman quarterback who started seven games this season, received the John Hodge Award as Ball State's most outstanding freshman. He completed 150-of-245 passes for 1,975 yards with 18 touchdowns. The 18 TD passes tied a Ball State single-season school record, while the passing yards ranks as the fourth-best single-season mark in BSU annals. The Hodge Award is given in the memory of the 1974 Cardinal Varsity Club Chairman who died in 1977. The CVC is an organization of benefactors to Ball State's intercollegiate athletics program.
Brad Seiss (Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw H.S.), a fifth-year senior linebacker, received the Mark Hays Inspiration Award after playing in seven games and starting the final four contests despite undergoing major knee surgery last spring. Seiss tallied 29 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack. Given in the memory of the son of Kermit and Mary Ellen Hays, the award is given to the person who demonstrates the greatest ability to motivate and inspire his teammates.
Seiss and Joey Lynch (Muncie, Ind./Delta H.S.), a senior quarterback for the Cardinals, were recognized for serving as the 2006 Ball State football team captains. Lynch combined with Davis to set Ball State single-season records for passing yards (3,112), touchdowns (27) and pass completions (232). Lynch started five games and completed 82-of-127 passes for 1,137 yards with nine TDs.
Alex Moore (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore H.S.), Justin Schneider (Hilbert, Wis./Hilbert H.S.) and Jason Sieman (Katy, Texas/Taylor H.S.) shared the 2006 Ball State Football Academic Award. Moore is a junior linebacker with a 3.77 grade-point average on BSU's 4.0 scale as a social studies major. Schneider, a senior offensive lineman, is a physical education major with a 3.73 GPA. He started all 12 games this season, started the final 22 consecutive games of his career and started 33 games in the last three seasons. Sieman is a senior linebacker and an accounting major with a 3.49 GPA. Sieman appeared in all 12 games this season and started six contests.
Brian Jackson (Dothan, Ala./Northview H.S.) and Chris Miller (Libertyville, Ill./Carmel H.S.) were co-recipients of the Bill Reynolds Special Teams Player of the Year Award. This award is given in the memory of Reynolds, who spent 31 years as a volunteer in the Ball State athletics department with an emphasis on the football program prior to his death in the summer of 2000.
Jackson, a senior placekicker who was named the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year, led the conference with an 89.5 percent field goal percentage, led the MAC with a 97.4 percent mark on extra points and was second in the league with 17 field goals. He made 17-of-19 field goals and 37-of-38 extra points. His 111 career extra points set a new BSU record, while his 49 career field goals is the third-best total in the Cardinals' record books. Miller, an All-MAC choice for the second straight season, led the league and ranks second in the country with a 46.26 average. He punted 57 times for 2,637 yards with a long punt of 78 yards.
Will Bryant (Muncie, Ind./Central H.S.), a freshman wide receiver, received the Bill Meitzler Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year Award, while David Wise (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City H.S.), a freshman defensive back, received the Bill Meitzler Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Brad Salyer (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville H.S.), a senior fullback, received the Elite 11 Champion Award, which is based on a point system for special teams play throughout the year.
Salyer and Lynch join Larry Bostic (Fort Wayne, Ind./South H.S.), Michael Hay (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater H.S.), Tom Kellar (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central H.S.), Riley Larimore (Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville H.S.), Terry Moss (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne H.S.), Michael Steinhaus (Algonquin, Ill./Dundee Crown H.S.), Brad Wilson (Muncie, Ind./Delta H.S.) and William Wise (Gary, Ind./Calumet H.S.) as recipients of this year's Ray Louthen Senior Awards.
