April 12, 2011
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IOWA CITY, Iowa – – University of Iowa senior outside linebacker Tyler Nielsen has been named to the 2011 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List. The award honors the top collegiate defensive player in the country. The list of 42 preseason candidates was announced Tuesday at a luncheon hosted by Ronnie Lott and the Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, Calif.
Nielsen (6-4, 235) is a native of Humboldt, Iowa. He started all eight games in which he played in 2010, recording 22 solo tackles and 20 assists, before missing the final five games due to injury. He recorded 4.5 tackles for loss, four pass break-ups and one interception.
Nielsen was credited with a career-best 10 tackles against Wisconsin and had seven tackles at Arizona and six in Iowa’s win at Michigan. He recorded four pass break-ups in Iowa’s win over Penn State.
Nielsen has also excelled in the classroom during his Hawkeye career. He was named to the CoSIDA District Seven Academic All-America team a year ago. He has earned Academic all-Big Ten recognition in each of the past three years.
Nielsen has also been a member of Iowa’s Leadership Group in each of the past three seasons.
Nielsen is one of 42 players named to the Lott Trophy preseason list and one of eight players from the Big Ten Conference on the list.
This is the eighth year the IMPACT Foundation has recognized student-athletes throughout the nation who have the biggest IMPACT on their teams, both on and off the field. IMPACT is an acronym for integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity.
Eleven of the 2011 nominees received All-American honors a year ago and 10 (including Nielsen) were accorded academic honors in their respective conferences.
The 2010 Lott Trophy winner was Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt. The 2011 winner will be announced at the annual Lott IMPACT Trophy banquet Dec. 11 in Newport Beach.