RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 5, 2011) - William and Mary All-American senior
running back Jonathan Grimes has been selected as a finalist for the 2011 Bill
Dudley Award, which is given annually to the state's top Division I football
player. Virginia Tech running back David Wilson and Virginia running back Perry
Jones are the other finalists.
The Dudley Award is named in honor of the late Bill
"Bullet Bill" Dudley, a star at the University of Virginia and in the
NFL. Dudley, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, played for the
Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Redskins and Detroit Lions.
Sponsored by the Touchdown Club of Richmond and the Richmond
Times-Dispatch, the Dudley Award banquet is open to the public and will be held
on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel, 12042 West Broad Street. The
social hour begins at 6:30 p.m., with dinner at 7:30. Tickets cost $40 each and
may be purchased by contacting Rudy Ward, 804.551.0980, or e-mail: tdclubofrichmond@verizon.net.
In addition to being a finalist
for the Dudley Award, Grimes will honored as the Touchdown Club of Richmond's
Division I Special Teams player of the Year at the banquet.
Honored as the 2011 Colonial
Athletic Association Special Teams Player of the Year, Grimes also earned
first-team all-conference accolades as a running back and third-team
distinction as a kick returner this fall. With the honors, he increased his career
total of all-league awards to 11 and is now the most-decorated player in CAA
history.
One of the nation's top players this
fall, Grimes led the country with 228.2 all-purpose yards per game and led the
CAA and ranked sixth nationally with 130.1 rushing yards per game en route to
finishing fourth in voting for the Payton Award. The Palmyra, N.J., native set
single-season school records with 2,510 all-purpose yards, 1,431 rushing yards
and 817 kickoff return yards. Grimes rushed for more than 130 yards in six of
eight conference games this season - highlighted by three consecutive 200+ yard
games to close out the fall.
One of the greatest players in
school history, Grimes finished his career as W&M's all-time leader in
rushing yards (4,541), all-purpose yards (7,955), kickoff return yards (2,289)
and rushing attempts (936). Additionally, he ranks third on the CAA's career
all-purpose yards list and sixth on the league's career rushing yards list.
