Quote:NEW ORLEANS - T.Y. Hilton's dazzling performances led FIU to its first ever share of a Sun Belt Conference Championship and first bowl game in program history, today the Sun Belt Conference announced that he is the recipient of the league's highest football award - Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year.
Hilton, who has earned multiple all-conference honors in the past, appears on numerous national rankings this season - including receiving yards per game, all-purpose yardage and kickoff return average. In addition to his Player of the Year honor he was named first team all-Sun Belt Conference wide receiver and return specialist and second team all-purpose player.

Joining Hilton among student-athlete specialty award winners is Western Kentucky's Bobby Rainey who was named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Rainey averaged over 130 yards rushing per game and his total of 1,649 rushing yards ranks second in the nation only behind Heisman Trophy finalist LaMichael James from Oregon.

Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors were bestowed upon Middle Tennessee's Jamari Lattimore. Lattimore, who helped the Blue Raiders to their second consecutive bowl bid, ranks sixth nationally in total sacks on the season with 11.5 takedowns.

Rounding out the specialty awards for student-athletes, Troy's Corey Robinson was named Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year. Robinson led the league in passing yards this season and is currently ranked 12th nationally in that category. Having to fill the shoes of last season's Sun Belt Player of the Year Levi Brown, Robinson helped lead the Trojans to a share of the Sun Belt Conference title - the program's fifth consecutive conference championship.

In guiding the FIU program to its season of firsts, head coach Mario Cristobal was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year. Cristobal, in his fourth season as coach, has helped turn around the FIU program into a conference co-champion.

Player of the Year: T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., WR)
Offensive Player of the Year: Bobby Rainey (WKU, Jr., RB)
Defensive Player of the Year: Jamari Lattimore (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL)
Freshman of the Year: Corey Robinson (Troy, Fr., QB)
Coach of the Year: Mario Cristobal, FIU

First Team All-Sun Belt Conference

Offense
Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, So., QB)
Lance Dunbar (North Texas, Jr., RB)
Bobby Rainey (WKU, Jr., RB)
T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., WR)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Sr., WR)
Ladarius Green (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., TE)
Brad Serini (FIU, Sr., OL)
Tyler Clark (Troy, Sr., OL)
Victor Gill (North Texas, Sr., OL)
Derek Newton (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)
Esteban Santiago (North Texas, Sr., OL)
Defense
Bryan Hall (Arkansas State, Sr., DL)
Jamari Lattimore (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL)
Jonathan Massaquoi (Troy, So., DL)
Jarvis Wilson (FIU, Sr., DL)
Demario Davis (Arkansas State, Jr., LB)
Toronto Smith (FIU, Sr., LB)
Craig Robertson (North Texas, Sr., LB)
M.D. Jennings (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)
Anthony Gaitor (FIU, Sr., DB)
Rod Issac (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DB)
Jeremy Kellem (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DB)
Special Teams
Alan Gendreau (Middle Tennessee, Jr., K)
Mickey Groody (Florida Atlantic, R-Jr., P)
T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., Return Specialist)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Sr., All Purpose)

Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference
Offense
Corey Robinson (Troy, Fr., QB)
Phillip Tanner (Middle Tennessee, Sr., RB)
Darriet Perry (FIU, Jr., RB)
Lester Jean (Florida Atlantic, Sr., WR)
Luther Ambrose (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., WR)
Rob Housler (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., TE)
Tom Castilaw (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)
Sifa Etu (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)
Ian Burks (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OL)
Mark Fisher (Middle Tennessee, Sr., OL)
James Brown (Troy, Jr., OL)
Defense
Dorvus Woods (Arkansas State, Jr., DL)
Tourek Williams (FIU, So., DL)
Ken Dorsey (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., DL)
Mario Addison (Troy, Sr., DL)
Javon McKinnon (Arkansas State, Sr., LB)
Michael Lockley (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., LB)
Thomas Majors (WKU, Sr., LB)
Marcus Bartels (Florida Atlantic, R-Jr., DB)
Tavious Polo (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., DB)
Jonathan Cyprien (FIU, So., DB)
Darius Prelow (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., DB)
Special Teams
Zach Olen (North Texas, Fr., K)
Josh Davis (Middle Tennessee, Fr., P)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Sr., Return Specialist)
T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., All-Purpose)
Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Confernece
Dwayne Frampton (Arkansas State, Jr., WR); Allen Muse (Arkansas State, So., WR); Tarvoris Hill (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., DB); Jeff Van Camp (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., QB); Greg Ellingson (FIU, Sr., WR); Winston Fraser (FIU, R-So., LB); Orkeys Auriene (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., DB); Spencer Ortego (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., P); Kolton Browning (ULM, R-Fr., QB); Cameron Blakes (ULM, So., LB); Eric Russel (Middle Tennessee, Junior, RS); Dwight Smith (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL); Brelan Chancellor (North Texas, Fr. RS); Will Goggans (Troy, Jr., P); Michael Taylor (Troy, Jr., K); Orlando Misaalefua (WKU, Sr., LB); Mychal Patterson (WKU, Sr., OL)

The All-Sun Belt Conference Teams are selected by each team's head coach and a media representative from each institution.

Wow...pretty happy with this for FIU...only one BIG omission was FIU kicker Jack Griffin, who led the conference in FGs made, points and was 41 for 41 in XPs....

Good thing. Congrats to all!!