2020 Howard, Streeter and IPTAY Athlete of the Year Award-Winners Announced
Clemson, S.C. — The Clemson Athletic Department has announced winners of three major department-wide awards for the 2019-20 academic year. Men’s soccer’s Robbie Robinson has won the Frank Howard Award, football defender Isaiah Simmons has been named IPTAY Athlete of the Year, and football wide receiver Amari Rodgers has won the Brandon Streeter Award.
The Frank Howard Award is presented each year to the student-athlete who has brought great honor to Clemson Athletics. Robinson was the recipient of the Hermann Trophy, the award presented to the top men’s soccer player in the nation, as well as the Anthony J. McKevlin ACC Male Athlete of the Year. He was also a first-team All-American, the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and the number-one selection in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.
Robinson led the nation in total goals (18), total points (45) and points per game (2.37). He scored those 18 goals in 19 games and was the first Clemson player since 1998 to record two hat tricks in the same season. The native of Camden, SC is the first men’s soccer player to win the Frank Howard Award since Wojtek Krakowiak did so for the 1998-99 academic year.
The IPTAY Athlete of the Year is presented to Clemson’s most outstanding student-athlete based on athletic accomplishments with consideration of character, leadership and academics. Simmons was Clemson’s first winner of the Butkus Award, the honor presented each year to the top linebacker in college football.
The native of Olathe, Kan became the sixth unanimous first-team All-American in Clemson history during the 2019 seasons when he was a finalist for the Nagurski, Bednarik and Lott Awards. He was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, as he led Clemson’s second-ranked team with 107 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks. He was the first FBS player with at least 100 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two interceptions since 2013.
The number-eight selection of the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals last month, Simmons graduated with a degree in sports communications in just three and a half years. He was a co-captain of Clemson’s 2019 team that played in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
The Brandon Streeter Award is named after the former Clemson quarterback and current quarterbacks coach and is presented to the student-athlete who overcomes injury to excel on the field. Seven different student-athletes received votes in the competition for this award.
Rodgers suffered a torn ACL in spring practice in 2019 and returned to action for the second game of the 2019 season against Texas A&M. That game was played just 166 days after suffering that serious injury.
In just his second game back, Rodgers had four receptions for 121 yards and two scores at Syracuse. He had an 87-yard catch and run for a touchdown in that game that was fourth-longest touchdown pass play in Clemson history. He had one of the biggest plays in Clemson’s victory over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game when he had a 38-yard catch and run on Clemson’s game-winning 94-yard touchdown drive.
The native of Knoxville, Tenn., finished the season with 30 receptions for 426 yards and led the Tigers in punt returns with 18 for 151 yards. He played in 14 of the 15 games after suffering the torn ACL and was named honorable mention All-ACC as a receiver and all-purpose player.
The awards are presented annually as voted on by a panel of 15 members with athletic department ties.