Philadelphia, Pa. (Dec. 17, 2012) – Senior Miguel Maysonet (Riverhead, N.Y.) finished second to Old Dominion's Taylor Heinicke for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the outstanding player in the Football Championship Subdivision, as announced by the Sports Network at the 26th annual FCS Awards Banquet.
Maysonet garnered 13 first-place votes and 284 total. Heinicke earned 72 first-place votes and 531 total.
Maysonet sought to be the first running back since Colgate’s Jamaal Branch to the win the award, which has gone to a quarterback for a ninth straight year.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (2002) and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Armanti Edwards (2008 & 2009) won the award as student-athletes on Eastern Illinois and Appalachian State, respectively.
The Payton Award, which is voted on by a nationwide panel of media and sports information directors, was established in 1987 in honor of the former Jackson State standout and Chicago Bears’ Hall of Famer.
Maysonet, an AFCA, Associated Press, Sports Network, Beyond Sports College Network and College Sports Madness first team All-American, rushed for 1,964 yards, the 11th most yards in a season in FCS history, and scored 23 total touchdowns.
The 5-10, 210-pound back accounted for more than 100 rushing yards in a game six times and had three games with 200 or more yards in 2012. During a four-game span, he rushed for a career-high three times, capped by a 233-yard, two-touchdown performance at Coastal Carolina.
In Stony Brook's two FBS games this season, Maysonet totaled 158 yards and a touchdown against Syracuse and 220 yards and two scores in a 23-3 win over Army.
Maysonet increased his rushing totals in each of three seasons as a Seawolf, rushing for 1,128 yards as a sophomore to 1,633 as a junior to 1,964 as a senior.
When factoring in his freshman season at Hofstra, he finished his career with 5,110 yards, good for 17th all-time in FCS history, and 51 touchdowns, despite averaging only 16 carries per game.
The 2011 and 2012 Big South Offensive Player of the Year recorded 21 games with 100 or more yards, had six games with three touchdowns and is the only player in school and conference history with two games of four scores.
Maysonet also owns school and conference records for career rushing yards (4,725), yards per game (127.7), touchdowns (53) and rushing attempts (695).
