UVA football announces spring award winners, captains

During Saturday’s annual Orange & Blue Spring Football Game, Virginia head coach Mike London announced the recipients of the team’s spring football awards and the captains for the 2015 season.

As voted on by the team, the players selected to serve as captains for the 2015 season are senior offensive guard Ross Burbank (Virginia Beach, Va.), senior defensive tackle David Dean (Virginia Beach, Va.), senior wide receiver Canaan Severin (Marlborough, Mass.) and senior fullback Vincent Croce (Olney, Md.).

Senior fullback Vincent Croce and sophomore linebacker Micah Kiser (Baltimore, Md.) were named the Rock Weir Award winners as the most improved players during spring drills.

Croce played in all 12 games last season, primarily on special teams where he participated in 58 plays. He was involved in 26 offensive plays from the fullback position. He had one tackle against Virginia Tech. Croce has played in 24 games during his collegiate career.

Kiser appeared in all 12 games in 2014, seeing most of his playing time on special teams. He finished the year with 15 tackles and tied with Will Wahee for the team lead with nine tackles on special teams. He made tackles in game appearances versus ULCA, Richmond, Kent State, Duke, Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech.

Sophomore safety Quin Blanding (Virginia Beach, Va.) was the recipient of the Z Society Bill Dudley Award presented to the first-year player for his excellence in the classroom, on the field and in the community. The award is named after the late “Bullet” Bill Dudley, who exemplified those traits and was a two-time All-American at Virginia.

The Cavalier Academic Achievement Award was shared by junior fullback Connor Wingo-Reeves (Midlothian, Va.), junior quarterback Matt Johns (Chalfont, Pa.), junior punter Nicholas Conte (Roanoke, Va.) and junior safety Will Wahee (Norfolk, Va.). The award is presented to the UVa student-athletes who represent Uncompromised Excellence in their academic pursuits.

Croce and senior defensive tackle David Dean shared the team’s Iron Cavalier award for their performance and dedication in the weight room.

The players who will make up the team’s leadership council for the 2015 season include: Ross Burbank, Jay Whitmire, Greyson Lambert, Matt Johns, Vince Croce, Canaan Severin, Taquan Mizzell, Demetrious Nicholson, David Dean, Mike Moore, Will Wahee, Micah Kiser, Quin Blanding and Ian Frye.