Nov. 30, 2005

MEMPHIS, TENN. - Heisman Trophy candidate DeAngelo Williams and Lou Groza Award candidate Stephen Gostkowski have picked up two of Conference USA's highest post-season awards as selected by league coaches and media, and announced today by the league office.

Williams, who led the league in rushing and ranks second nationally, received his third consecutive Offensive Player of the Year honor. Williams tied Louisville quarterback Dave Ragone who won three straight Offensive Player of the Year awards from 2000-02. For his career, Williams has also been selected as a first-team All-C-USA honoree three times, and was picked to the All-Freshman team in 2002.

A native of Wynne, Ark., Williams was named a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and will travel next week to Orlando, Fla., for the Home Depot College Football Award show which is presented by ESPN. He has rushed for 1,726 yards and 15 touchdowns this season, including the 127 yards last weekend against Marshall that helped Williams tie the NCAA record for career 100-yard games with 33. He also holds the NCAA record for all-purpose yards with 7,337, and ranks fourth all-time in rushing yards with 5,788.

Gostkowski earned his first Special Teams Player of the Year honor after leading the Tigers in kicking with 19-of-22 field goals and connecting on all 32 PATs this season. A native of Madison, Miss., Gostkowski was named a league Player of the Week on Monday after leading the Tigers past Marshall with four field goals and two PATs. He hit a school-record 53-yard field goal against the Thundering Herd, and is an impressive 9-of-9 this season from 40-plus yards. Gostkowski holds U of M and C-USA records in PATs (156), field goals (67) and scoring (357 points), and is the NCAA's "active" career leader in field goals and PATs.

This is the first time since the league's inception in 1995 that the Tigers have garnered two Player of the Year honors in the same season. Memphis also had the Special Teams Player of the Year in Ryan White in 1998, and quarterback Travis Anglin was the co-Freshman of the Year in 1999.

Southern Miss linebacker Kevis Coley garnered the Defensive Player of the Year Award, while UCF running back Kevin Smith earned Freshman of the Year honors. UCF's George O'Leary was picked as the league's Coach of the Year.