University of Northern Iowa Athletics
Bailey, Hall Named Earn MVFC Player of the Year Nods
11/25/2015 10:40:00 AM | Football
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced its 2015 Specialist Award winners today, naming Aaron Bailey Newcomer of the Year and Deiondre' Hall Defensive Player of the Year.
Hall is the eighth player in UNI history to be named Defensive Player of the Year, with the most recent coming in 2011 to L.J. Fort. He is the Panthers' first defensive back to be awarded the distinction and the first defensive back in the Valley to win the award since 2012.
Hall, a four-year starter for the Panthers, has started all 11 games this season between cornerback and free safety. He leads the team and the Valley in interceptions with six, returning two for touchdowns.
The Blue Springs, Mo. native ranks No. 5 in the FCS in interceptions per game in 2015 and third among FCS active career leaders in career interceptions. His four career pick-sixes is a school record and his 13 picks over four seasons lands him at No. 5 all-time at UNI in career interceptions.
He currently has 69 total tackles this season, including 48 solo and six for loss of yardage along with two forced fumbles. The senior is on the FCS STATS Defensive Player of the Year Award Watch List and has earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Week and National Defensive Player of the Week honors this year.
Bailey, a transfer from the University of Illinois, has started nine games for the Panthers this season at quarterback. He is the third UNI quarterback in six years to win the MVFC Newcomer of the Year Award, joining Sawyer Kollmorgen (2012) and Tirrell Rennie (2010).
He holds a team-high 1,029 rushing yards, tying him for third all-time in MVFC history in rushing yards in a season by a quarterback. He is ranked fourth in the FCS in rushing touchdowns while adding 1,362 yards through the air for nine passing touchdowns.
The Bolingbrook, Ill. native has rushed for 17 touchdowns this season, setting a UNI record and tying the Valley record for rushing scores in a season by a quarterback. He has racked up five 100-plus yard rushing performances this year, including back-to-back games to end the regular season.
Bailey, Hall and the Panthers will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 28 when they host Eastern Illinois in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. and will air on ESPN3. Tickets are on sale to the general public today.
Hall is the eighth player in UNI history to be named Defensive Player of the Year, with the most recent coming in 2011 to L.J. Fort. He is the Panthers' first defensive back to be awarded the distinction and the first defensive back in the Valley to win the award since 2012.
Hall, a four-year starter for the Panthers, has started all 11 games this season between cornerback and free safety. He leads the team and the Valley in interceptions with six, returning two for touchdowns.
The Blue Springs, Mo. native ranks No. 5 in the FCS in interceptions per game in 2015 and third among FCS active career leaders in career interceptions. His four career pick-sixes is a school record and his 13 picks over four seasons lands him at No. 5 all-time at UNI in career interceptions.
He currently has 69 total tackles this season, including 48 solo and six for loss of yardage along with two forced fumbles. The senior is on the FCS STATS Defensive Player of the Year Award Watch List and has earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Week and National Defensive Player of the Week honors this year.
Bailey, a transfer from the University of Illinois, has started nine games for the Panthers this season at quarterback. He is the third UNI quarterback in six years to win the MVFC Newcomer of the Year Award, joining Sawyer Kollmorgen (2012) and Tirrell Rennie (2010).
He holds a team-high 1,029 rushing yards, tying him for third all-time in MVFC history in rushing yards in a season by a quarterback. He is ranked fourth in the FCS in rushing touchdowns while adding 1,362 yards through the air for nine passing touchdowns.
The Bolingbrook, Ill. native has rushed for 17 touchdowns this season, setting a UNI record and tying the Valley record for rushing scores in a season by a quarterback. He has racked up five 100-plus yard rushing performances this year, including back-to-back games to end the regular season.
Bailey, Hall and the Panthers will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 28 when they host Eastern Illinois in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. The game is set to kick off at 4 p.m. and will air on ESPN3. Tickets are on sale to the general public today.
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