MAC awards roundup: Hairston, Nichols win individual awards, six Chippewas named first team All-MAC
Senior defensive end Troy Hairston II and redshirt freshman running back Lew Nichols each took home individual awards, while six Chippewas were named first team All-Mid-American Conference as announced by the conference on Dec. 15.
Hairston was named the conference's co-Defensive Player of the Year, sharing the award with Ball State's Brandon Martin. On the season, Hairston led the conference in both sacks (5.5) and tackles for loss (12).
Nichols was tabbed as the MAC Freshman of the Year. After playing in the maximum four games last season to preserve his status as a freshman, Nichols burst onto the scene in 2020 with a team-high 508 rushing yards. He also scored four rushing touchdowns.
Hairston was one of six Chippewas named to first team All-MAC, including three of his teammates on the defensive side of the ball in sophomore safety Willie Reid, junior linebacker Troy Brown and senior defensive lineman Mohamed Diallo.
The other two first team honorees were freshman kicker Marshall Meeder and redshirt freshman punter Luke Elzinga.
Brown earned first team honors for the second consecutive season. In 2020, the Flint native totaled 42 tackles, second on the team behind only fellow junior linebacker George Douglas. Brown also had 4.5 sacks.
Reid intercepted a conference-leading three passes in 2020, snagging one in each of CMU's final three outings. He also made 35 tackles and recovered two fumbles.
Diallo, playing in his second season with the Chippewas after transferring in from Texas A&M, totaled 19 tackles, 9.5 of them for loss, and three sacks in 2020. He switched to defensive end following an injury to starter LaQuan Johnson after beginning the season at defensive tackle.
Meeder was a perfect eight-for-eight on field goals, including going two-for-two from beyond 50 yards. He nailed a career-long 53-yard boot in the season finale against Toledo. Additionally, he was 16-of-17 on extra point attempts.
Elzinga punted 33 times in 2020 and averaged 43.2 yards per attempt, a number that ranked second in the MAC. He placed a conference-best 14 punts inside the 20 and had six punts travel over 50 yards. His career-best was the first of his career, when he launched a 76-yarder in the season opener against Ohio.
Two Chippewas, junior wide receiver Kalil Pimpleton and senior offensive tackle Derek Smith, were named to the conference's second team while junior safety Devonni Reed was named third team All-MAC.
Pimpleton, who was named first team all-conference last season, led the team in both receptions and receiving yards. He also caught two scores for the Chippewas, including a 50-yarder against Ohio, and threw a touchdown in the finale against Toledo.
Smith was also a first-teamer last season, and was the lone mainstay from last season's offensive line. He started all six games in 2020 and played a large part in creating running lanes for a unit that totaled 1,309 rushing yards.
Reed, a Detroit native, was tied for second on the team with 42 tackles. He also intercepted a pass and had two tackles for loss while starting all six of the Chippewas' games in 2020.
As a team, the Chippewas finished 3-3 in 2020 and placed fourth in the MAC West Division.
Complete list of MAC Individual Awards:
MAC Offensive Player of the Year: Jaret Patterson, RB, Buffalo
co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Hairston II, DE, CMU
co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Martin, LB, Ball State
MAC Freshman of the Year: Lew Nichols, RB, CMU
MAC Coach of the Year: Lance Leipold, Buffalo
