Senior quarterback Jake Maier captured the team's Jerry Norris Award as the team's most valuable and inspirational player, while running back Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. and linebacker Connor Airey were announced as 2020 team co-captains, as UC Davis football held its 2019 season banquet held at the ARC Ballroom Sunday.
Maier received the honor in absentia, as he was set to participate in the Hula Bowl all-star game in Hawaii that evening. He is the first quarterback to win the Jerry Norris Award since Matt Engle in 2007.
Major award recipients included Gilliam, Jr., who also snared the Ken O'Brien Award as the team's outstanding offensive player of the year; and Devon King, who won the Casey Merrill Award as the top defensive player.
Additionally, the team issued "Championship Culture Team" honors named for other key UC Davis football figures to 11 players: Connor Pettek (Mike Moroski), Kooper Richardson (Bob Biggs), Eric Flowers (Steve 'Lou' Bronzan), Nas Anesi (Nick Aliotti), Niko Harris (Khari Jones), Carson Crawford (Chris Carter), Doug Drakeley (Fred Arp), John Aloma (Onome Ojo), Roland Ocansey (Sam Young), Cam Trimble (Ejiro Evero) and Darius Livingston (Jim Sochor).
Listed below is the full slate of Sunday's awards, in the order presented at the banquet.
MIKE WISE AWARD (Outstanding Freshman) - Nick Eaton
T. PALMER MOODY AWARD (Outstanding Sophomore) - Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr.
JIM FERRIER AWARD (Outstanding Transfer) - James Scharetg
TONY KAYS AWARD (Most Improved Offensive Player) - Khris Vaughn
BO EASON AWARD (Most Improved Defensive Player) - Da'Von Frazier
GEORGE BELENIS AWARD (Scout Team Players of the Year) - Trent Tompkins (offense), Jehiel Budgett (defense), Earl English (special teams)
24 MOB STRENGTH & CONDITIONING AWARD - Trent Tompkins
ROLF BENIRSCHKE AWARD (Outstanding Special Teams Player) - Daniel Whelan
KEN O'BRIEN AWARD (Outstanding Offensive Player) - Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr.
CASEY MERRILL AWARD (Outstanding Defensive Player) - Devon King
JERRY NORRIS AWARD (Most Valuable & Inspirational Player) - Jake Maier
CAPTAINS' AWARD - Charles Hays
MIKE SHAW AWARD (Scholar-Athlete) - Tiger Garcia
BRUCE EDWARDS EVO AWARD - Darius Livingston
PHIL WELLS AWARD (Teammate of the Year) - Nick Fehrenbach
BOB FOSTER AGGIE PRIDE AWARD - Dan Plum
CHAMPIONSHIP CULTURE TEAM - Connor Pettek, Kooper Richardson, Eric Flowers, Nas Anesi, Niko Harris, Carson Crawford, Doug Drakeley, John Aloma, Roland Ocansey, Cam Trimble, Darius Livingston.
