Central Michigan University Athletics
Nichols, Pimpleton Earn MAC Individual Awards
11/30/2021 4:18:00 PM | Football
Ten CMU Football Players Recognized By Mid-American Conference
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan football standouts Lew Nichols III and Kalil Pimpleton earned individual honors from the Mid-American Conference today as the league released its 2021 all-conference team and individual award winners.
Nichols was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and Pimpleton earned the Special Teams Player of the Year Award.
The dynamic duo headlines a CMU program that is well represented on the All-MAC team as 10 Chippewas were named to one of the three honor squads.
Nichols, a redshirt freshman running back from Detroit, earned the MAC Freshman of the Year Award in 2020. He leads the nation in rushing with 1,710 yards and in all-purpose yardage with 2,010 yards.
Nichols is the sixth Chippewa to be named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and the first since Dan LeFevour in 2009.
Pimpleton, who hails from Muskegon, leads the MAC in average punt return yardage, 20.25 yards, and returned two punts for touchdowns this season. Both of those returns for touchdowns came in a 42-30 victory at Western Michigan; one covered a CMU-record 97 yards and stands as the third-longest punt return in MAC history.
It marks the third time in CMU history that a Chippewa has earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award. Antonio Brown brought home the honor to Mount Pleasant in 2008-09.
Pimpleton, who also plays wide receiver, and Nichols were named to the All-MAC First Team offense along with Chippewa tackles Luke Goedeke and Bernhard Raimann.
Pimpleton also earned a spot on the first team as a return specialist.
CMU defensive end Troy Hairston II and linebacker Troy Brown were named to the All-MAC First Team defense, while safety Devonni Reed earned a spot on the second team defense.
CMU wide receivers JaCorey Sullivan and Dallas Dixon were named to the All-MAC Third Team offense, and the Chippewas' Marion Lukes earned a spot on the third team as a return specialist.
Nichols was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and Pimpleton earned the Special Teams Player of the Year Award.
The dynamic duo headlines a CMU program that is well represented on the All-MAC team as 10 Chippewas were named to one of the three honor squads.
Nichols, a redshirt freshman running back from Detroit, earned the MAC Freshman of the Year Award in 2020. He leads the nation in rushing with 1,710 yards and in all-purpose yardage with 2,010 yards.
Nichols is the sixth Chippewa to be named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and the first since Dan LeFevour in 2009.
Pimpleton, who hails from Muskegon, leads the MAC in average punt return yardage, 20.25 yards, and returned two punts for touchdowns this season. Both of those returns for touchdowns came in a 42-30 victory at Western Michigan; one covered a CMU-record 97 yards and stands as the third-longest punt return in MAC history.
It marks the third time in CMU history that a Chippewa has earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award. Antonio Brown brought home the honor to Mount Pleasant in 2008-09.
Pimpleton, who also plays wide receiver, and Nichols were named to the All-MAC First Team offense along with Chippewa tackles Luke Goedeke and Bernhard Raimann.
Pimpleton also earned a spot on the first team as a return specialist.
CMU defensive end Troy Hairston II and linebacker Troy Brown were named to the All-MAC First Team defense, while safety Devonni Reed earned a spot on the second team defense.
CMU wide receivers JaCorey Sullivan and Dallas Dixon were named to the All-MAC Third Team offense, and the Chippewas' Marion Lukes earned a spot on the third team as a return specialist.
Players Mentioned
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