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Wisconsin's annual football team banquet was held Saturday night, giving the Badgers a chance to look back at the regular season and take a break from Capital One Bowl preparation. The central highlight is typical the team awards handed out at the Gordon Event Center, and this year's event belonged to the seniors.
15 seniors took home awards, headlined by linebacker Chris Borland, who was named the Jimmy Demetral Team MVP. The accolade is yet another for Borland, who also won the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Yearand Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards.
| 2013 WISCONSIN FOOTBALL AWARDS | |
| JIMMY DEMETRAL TEAM MVP | Chris Borland |
| OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR | Jared Abbrederis, James White |
| DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR | Beau Allen, Dezmen Southward |
| SPECIAL TEAM PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Kyle Zuleger |
| WAYNE SOUSA COACHES' APPRECIATION AWARD (OFFENSE) | Jacob Pedersen, Brian Wozniak |
| JAY SEILER COACHES' APPRECIATION AWARD (DEFENSE) | Tyler Dippel, Pat Muldoon |
| IVAN WILLIAMSON SCHOLASTIC AWARD | Curt Phillips |
| TOM WIESNER AWARD | Ryan Groy, Ethan Hemer |
| BADGER POWER AWARD | Vince Biegel |
| COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Ethan Armstrong, Brendan Kelly |
| MOST IMPROVED - OFFENSE | Melvin Gordon |
| MOST IMPROVED - DEFENSE | Michael Caputo |
| OFFENSIVE SCOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Connor Senger |
| DEFENSIVE SCOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR | Chikwe Obasih |
| OTIS GREEN MANAGER AWARD | Joe Spiegelhoff |
| THE CAPTAINS' CUP | Sandy Freye, Lisa Powell |
For more on the awards, as well as explanations for some of the less obvious ones, here's UW's release:
The value of the Wisconsin football team's senior class was evident once again Saturday evening as the Badgers handed out awards at their annual team banquet at the Gordon Event Center on the UW campus.
Wisconsin's accomplished seniors were the focal point of the evening, with 15 members of the class taking home awards.
None are more accomplished than senior linebacker Chris Borland, who was named the Jimmy Demetral Team MVP. The Kettering, Ohio, native adds the honor to his Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year and Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year awards. He also received the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award and was a finalist for both the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Senior CLASS Award.
WR Jared Abbrederis and RB James White shared Offensive Player of the Year honors after each posting career seasons as seniors.
Abbrederis ranks No. 2 all-time at UW in receptions (197), receiving yards (3,110) and touchdown receptions (23) after a year that saw him post the fourth 1,000-yard season in school history (1,051) and earn consensus first-team All-Big Ten accolades.
White, who rushed for 1,000 yards for the second season of his career and earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, ranks third in school history in touchdowns (48), fifth all-time in rushing (3,908) and fourth in all-purpose yards (5,335).
NG Beau Allen and S Dezmen Southward were tabbed for Defensive Player of the Year honors after serving as key cogs in a UW defense that ranks No. 6 nationally in both scoring defense and total defense.
Kyle Zuleger was named Special Teams Player of the Year after contributing to several of the Badgers' special teams units. He is tied for the team lead with 12 special teams tackles this season.
Tight ends Jacob Pedersen and Brian Wozniak shared the Wayne Sousa Coaches Appreciation Award presented to the offensive players who contribute to the team's success with attitude and willingness to help the program in all areas.
On defense, the Jay Seiler Coaches Appreciation Award went to defensive ends Tyler Dippel and Pat Muldoon.
The Ivan Williamson Scholastic Award, presented annually to the player most exemplary in the areas of scholarship and sportsmanship, went to sixth-year senior QB Curt Phillips.
DE Ethan Hemer (Medford, Wis.) and OL Ryan Groy (Middleton, Wis.) received the Tom Wiesner Award, which is presented annually in honor of Wiesner -- a letterwinner from 1958-60 -- to Wisconsin-born players whose loyalty, hard work, spirit and dedication are unselfishly directed to the success of the team.
Linebackers Ethan Armstrong and Brendan Kelly, both of whom have fought through multiple injuries to become key contributors to the Badgers' defense, received the first edition of the Comeback Player of the Year Award.
The Badger Power Award, presented to a player who consistently performs at a high level in all aspects of the Badgers' strength and conditioning program, went to redshirt freshman LB Vince Biegel.
Sophomore S Michael Caputo won the Most Improved Defensive Player Award, with sophomore RB Melvin Gordon receiving the Most Improved Offensive Player Award.
Freshman QB Connor Senger was named Offensive Scout Player of the Year for his work on the Badgers' practice squad, with freshman DE Chikwe Obasih earning Defensive Scout Player of the Year honors.
Senior and head student manager Joe Spiegelhoff was named the inaugural recipient of the Otis Green Manager Award. The award was presented in honor of former team manager Kevin "Otis" Green, who was tragically killed in an automobile accident shortly after graduating from UW last spring.
Long-time program assistants Sandy Freye and Lisa Powell received The Captains' Cup from the team for their years of service to the UW football program.
The Badgers also recognized their 25 Academic All-Big Ten selections and 13 All-Big Ten honorees.
