Van Noy wins Utah State of Sport Award

SALT LAKE CITY -- BYU senior linebacker Kyle Van Noy won the Utah State of Sport Award for Collegiate Male Athlete on Tuesday night at Energy Solutions Arena.

In his senior season, Van Noy was named to four different All-American teams after he recorded 70 tackles, including 17.5 for a loss, four sacks and two interceptions. Van Noy thanked his teammates and coaches, his fiancee and the other nominees as he accepted the award in front of nearly 1,000 people at the awards gala hosted by the Utah Sports Commission. The voting was held on the internet and received votes from all 50 states and 72 countries. Van Noy beat out fellow Cougars Cody Hoffman and Zac Blair, as well as Utah's Trevor Reilly and Jason Washburn and Utah State's Tyler Larsen to win the Collegiate Male Athlete Award.

In his career at BYU, Van Noy tallied 26 sacks, 62 tackles for loss, seven interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and three blocked kicks. He is expected to be drafted in the first or second rounds of the NFL Draft in the coming weeks. 

It was the third annual Utah State of Sport Awards and BYU had at least one winner for the third straight year. In 2013, BYU women's soccer won for game of the year for its NCAA Sweet 16 victory over Marquette on penalty kicks. In 2012, Carlee Payne Holmoe and Jimmer Fredette won Collegiate Player of the Year awards, while Dave Rose won Coach of the Year and Jimmer's 3-pointer against Utah won Play of the Year.

Other Cougars who were nominated included women's basketball's Jennifer Hamson and women's soccer's Cloee Colohan both for Collegiate Female Athlete. Blair and Hoffman were also nominated for Collegiate Male Athlete along with Van Noy.