Ndamukong Suh Wins The 2009 Rotary Lombardi Award

Houston, Texas - The Rotary Club of Houston has announced that Ndamukong Suh, a defensive tackle from the University of Nebraska, is the winner of the 2009 Rotary Lombardi Award.

Since 1970, the Rotary Lombardi Award has been presented annually to the nation's top college football lineman (offense or defense) who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi. The other finalists for the award were Alabama's Terrence Cody, TCU's Jerry Hughes, and Oklahoma's Gerald McCoy. As is customary with the Rotary Lombardi Award, voting totals are not released.

Ndamukong Suh (pronounced en-dom-ah-ken SUE) from Portland, Oregon, has already won two major honors this year. He was named Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and he also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy which is awarded to college football's most "outstanding defensive player." He is also a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Award, the Lott Trophy, the Chuck Bednarik Award, and the Outland Trophy.

In 2009, Suh recorded 82 tackles including 23 tackles for a loss. He also had 12 sacks and 26 quarterback hurries. Suh's best game of the season came in a 13-12 loss to the University of Texas in the Big 12 Conference Championship Game. Suh recorded a career-high 12 tackles in the game including a school record seven tackles for loss. He also had 4.5 sacks.

Suh is the fifth player from the University of Nebraska to win the Rotary Lombardi Award joining Rich Glover (1972), Dave Rimington (1982), Dean Steinkuhler (1983), and Grant Wistrom (1997). Suh's final collegiate game will be the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30 where Nebraska (9-4) will face Arizona (8-4).

The voters for the Rotary Lombardi Award consist of all head coaches of NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision teams, all of the former winners and finalists of the Rotary Lombardi Award, and selected members of the media.

The Rotary Club of Houston founded the Rotary Lombardi Award in 1970, in the weeks following the death of legendary football coach Vince Lombardi from cancer. Net proceeds from the awards dinner benefit the American Cancer Society. For more information call the Rotary Club of Houston at 713-973-9936 or visit the website at www.rotarylombardiaward.org.

Photo Courtesy of Dennis Hubbard