Two Cowboy football players on national awards “Watch Lists”

July 19, 2021 — The University of Wyoming Athletic Department has announced two Wyoming Football players are on the Watch List for prestigious postseason awards.

 

Cowboy junior running back Xazavian Valladay is on the Watch List for the Maxwell Award powered by Mammoth Tech presented annually to the outstanding player in college football. In addition, teammate junior linebacker Chad Muma is under consideration for the Chuck Bednarik Award, presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year.

Xazavian Valladay – This marks the second consecutive season that Valladay has been named to the Maxwell Award Watch List. The award is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, a former standout at Swarthmore College who became a well-known sportswriter and football official.

Valladay has been a First Team All-Mountain West Conference selection each of the past two seasons.  He led the Mountain West in rushing yards per game in 2019 (105.4 per game) and 2020 (110.0 per game) and ranked 18th nationally in 2019 and 17th in 2020.  Valladay also led the MW in all-purpose yards in 2019 and ranked No. 26 in the nation, averaging 124.08 yards per game.

 

Semifinalists for the 2021 Maxwell Award will be announced on November 1, 2021, with the three finalists unveiled on November 22.  The winner will be named on December 9, 2021.

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Chad Muma – The Maxwell Football Club announced today that Muma is on its Watch List for the 27th Chuck Bednarik Award powered by Mammoth Tech.  The award is presented annually to the outstanding defensive player in college football. This marks Muma’s first time being named to the Bednarik Award Watch List. The award is named in honor of Chuck Bednarik, a former standout at the University of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Muma made his mark as one of the nation’s top defenders in 2020. He ranked No. 1 in the Mountain West and No. 3 in the nation in tackles, averaging 11.8 tackles per game. He also ranked No. 16 in the nation in solo tackles, averaging 5.5 per game. The junior was selected First Team All-Mountain West by MW head coaches and media in 2020.

The winner of the 2021 Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced on December 9, 2021.