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July 1, 2005

OXFORD, Ohio -- Two Miami University football standouts have been selected to prestigious award watch lists entering the 2005 season. Senior linebacker Terna Nande (Grand Rapids, MI/Creston) was named to the watch list for the Bronco Nagurski Trophy, while senior cornerback Darrell Hunter (Middletown, OH/Middletown) made the list for the Jim Thorpe Award.

Nande, a two-time all-Mid-American Conference selection, was one of 50 standout players from across the country to be named to the Nagurski Trophy watch list, which is presented annually to the nation's outstanding defensive player. One of three senior linebackers on a veteran RedHawk defense, Nande enters his fourth season as a starter. Blessed with a rare combination of size and speed, the outside linebacker has accounted for 195 tackles and 29.0 tackles for loss over the past two seasons. Also on the preseason watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award, Nande has started 34 of Miami's past 35 games. Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson won the award last season.

A second-team all-MAC pick last season and one of the league's top returning shutdown corners, Hunter has been tabbed as one of 36 preseason candidates for the Thorpe Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top defensive back. A starter in 27 straight games who played as a true freshman in 2002, Hunter enters his third season in the starting lineup. Armed with blazing speed, the former state high school sprint champion has six career interceptions and is expected to move to the boundary cornerback position this fall to replace NFL Draft Choice Alphonso Hodge. Hunter is the only returning cornerback selected to the MAC's first or second team last season. The Thorpe Award went to Auburn's Carlos Rogers in 2004.

Nande and Hunter are two of seven returning starters on a stout Miami defense that opens the season on Sept. 3 at Ohio State. Miami has claimed the last two MAC East Division titles and is looking to advance to a third straight bowl game for the first time since the mid-1970's.