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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Mike Hilton Named Thorpe Award Semifinalist
10/26/2015 | Football
OKLAHOMA CITY - Ole Miss senior Mike Hilton has been named one of 16 semifinalists for the 2015 Jim Thorpe Award, which is given annually to the top defensive back in college football.
Hilton, a 5-foot-9, 184-pound athlete from Fayetteville, Georgia, has been a starter at every defensive backfield position during his four years as a Rebel. After starting this season at Rover, he shifted over to Huskie following an injury to preseason All-American Tony Conner. He was a two-year starter at cornerback prior to this year.
Despite his size, Hilton excels in whatever role he's given by the coaches. He currently leads all Southeastern Conference defensive backs with 8.0 tackles for loss, and he is tied for second in the league with nine passes defended. The Chucky Mullins Courage Award winner has recorded two interceptions and is third on the team with 38 tackles. He also has 1.5 sacks and has forced a fumble.
This is the third straight year Ole Miss has had at least one Thorpe Award semifinalist. Cody Prewitt was a semifinalist in both 2013 and 2014, while Senquez Golson was also a semifinalist last year.
The Thorpe Award is named after history's greatest athlete, Jim Thorpe, and is presented by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and Jim Thorpe Association in Oklahoma City. Thorpe excelled at every sport in which he competed, including football at which he played on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. The three Thorpe Award finalists will be named on Monday, Nov. 23, and the winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10 airing on ESPN. The winner of the 2015 Thorpe Award will be honored at a banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 2, 2016.
The 2015 Thorpe Award semifinalists represent eight conferences: SEC (4), ACC (3), BIG TEN (3), BIG-12 (2), AAC (1), MAC (1), MW (1), PAC-12 (1).
The 2015 semifinalists:
Mackensie Alexander, Clemson, So.
Vonn Bell, Ohio State, Jr.
Jeremy Cash, Duke, Sr.
Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida, Jr.
Mike Hilton, Ole Miss, Sr.
Eddie Jackson, Alabama, Jr.
Desmond King, Iowa, Jr.
Jourdan Lewis, Michigan, Jr.
Shawun Lurry, Northern Illinois, So.
Adrian McDonald, Houston, Sr.
Kevin Peterson, Oklahoma St., Sr.
Jalen Ramsey, Florida State, Jr.
Zack Sanchez, Oklahoma, Jr.
Jordan Simone, Arizona St., Sr.
Darian Thompson, Boise State, Sr.
Tre'Davious White, LSU, Jr.
The Jim Thorpe Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boasts over 700 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more.
Beginning in 2015, The Home Depot College Football Awards will have a new home at the College Football Hall of Fame and Chick-fil-A Fan Experience in downtown Atlanta. Airing live on ESPN on Dec. 10, 2015, college football's brightest stars will be honored for their performance on and off the field.
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