Three members of the Portland State Athletics program are finalists for the upcoming Oregon Sports Awards, recognizing achievement for the year 2011. Football Coach Nigel Burton, football player Connor Kavanaugh and basketball player Eryn Jones were among several Portland State nominees and will be up for honors on Feb. 12 at the Oregon Sports Awards Show held at the Tiger Woods Center on the Nike Campus in Beaverton.
Head Football Coach Nigel Burton is a finalist for the Slats Gill Sportsperson of the Year, honoring an outstanding coach or administrator. Burton led the Viking football team to a 7-4 season and within one game of serious NCAA playoff consideration in 2011, making a five-game improvement over 2010. Burton was also a national finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award for the NCAA I FCS level.
Senior quarterback Connor Kavanaugh was named a finalist for the Hayward Award (male), for the outstanding amateur athlete in the state during 2011. Kavanaugh, from Portland's Lincoln High School, also led PSU's football resurgence, setting school and Big Sky Conference records for rushing in a season (1,060 yards) and a career (1,964 yards). He also completed 58% of his passes for 1,628 yards and nine touchdowns. Kavanaugh was the National Player of the Week on Oct. 3.
Junior basketball player Eryn Jones is also a finalist for the Hayward Award (female) for her play in 2011. Jones, a point guard, was named the Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and led the Viking women's basketball team to its first Big Sky Conference regular season championship. She was an All-Region selection by the WBCA after averaging 13.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, making 73 three-pointers and leading the Big Sky in three-point percentage (.435). Jones is now a senior on the Viking team, which has been picked to win the Big Sky again in 2012 in preseason polling.
The voting panel for the Oregon Sports Awards is a large cross section of Oregon media and past honorees.
Below is a listing of Portland State affiliated individuals and teams that have won honors at past Oregon Sports Awards.
Oregon Sports Awards
(formerly Hayward Banquet)
Bill Hayward Amateur Athlete of the Year Award
Leanne Peters, volleyball, 1993
Neil Lomax, football, 1980
Neil Lomax, football, 1979
Freeman Williams, men's basketball, 1978
Rick Sanders, wrestling, 1967
George Pasero Team of the Year Award
Portland State Volleyball, 1992
Portland State Wrestling, 1990
Portland State Volleyball, 1988
Portland State Volleyball, 1985
Portland State Volleyball, 1984
Slats Gill Award (outstanding coach or administrator)
Pokey Allen, football, 1988
Pokey Allen, football, 1987
Jeff Mozzochi, volleyball, 1985
Mouse Davis, football, 1976
Jack Dunn, 1973 (not at PSU at the time)
Tom DeSylvia, 1958 (not at PSU at the time)
Harry Glickman Professional Athlete of the Year
Neil Lomax, football, 1984
Oregon Sports Merit Award
Jack Dunn, 2008
Teri Mariani, 2006
Marion Pericin, 1995
Pokey Allen, 1992
Roy Love, 1992
Marlene Piper, 1983
Ralph Davis, 1979
Dr. Joseph Blumel, 1974
Howard Westcott, 1971
