KU's Stuckey Named Big 12 Sportsperson Of The Year
Kansas football player Darrell Stuckey was named the Big 12 Male Sportsperson of the Year it was announced by the Conference office Thursday. Hollie Vise, a gymnast from Oklahoma, earned the women's honor.
Stuckey is the third Jayhawk to earn the Big 12 Sportsperson Award in the 10 years of the honor. Previous KU honorees include women's golfer Amanda Costner in 2007 and volleyball player Katie Martincich in 2008.
The Sportspersons of the Year Award was started in 2000-01 to annually recognize student-athletes who displayed an extraordinary degree of sportsmanship and/or community service during the academic year. Vise and Stuckey were selected by a media panel. The Big 12's recipients are nominated for the NCAA Sportsmanship Award.
Stuckey, a Kansas City, Kan. native, finished his KU career this past fall. He was a three and one-half year starter in the Jayhawk secondary and posted 42 career starts. He finished his career as the second-leading tackler among defensive backs in Kansas history with 295 stops.
Off the field he was the consummate representative of the athletic department. Stuckey was heavily involved in community service, serving on a number of athletic and campus committees and regularly visiting elementary schools, among a host of other activities.
This past season the team captain was recognized for his off the field efforts, earning a spot on the American Football Coaches Association 11-man Good Works Team and being named a Senior CLASS Award finalist. As a junior he was tabbed a Big 12 Community of Champions member.
His 2009 on the field honors include being named a Thorpe Award semifinalist, Lott Award quarterfinalist and to the Bednarik and Nagurski Award watch lists. He was an All-Big 12 First Team selection by the Associated Press, played in the East-West Shrine Game, was invited to the National Football League Combine and was a fourth-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers.