Colorado State University Athletics
Grayson named MW Male Athlete of the Year
7/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Former Colorado State football player Garrett Grayson was named the 2014-15 Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year on Tuesday. Established by the MW Joint Council in May 2010, the MW Athlete of the Year Awards are bestowed annually to one male and one female student-athlete who have achieved athletic excellence during the past academic year.
In addition to superior athletic achievement, criterion for the MW Athlete of the Year Award requires that nominees be in good academic standing throughout their season of competition, and demonstrate good character and conduct on and off the playing field. Boise State’s Emma Bates was the female recipient.
Grayson, who was selected with the 75th overall pick (No. 11 in the third round) in the 2015 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, was named the 2014 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year. In his senior campaign, Grayson led the Rams to their first national ranking since 2003, reaching as high as No. 21 in the USA Today/Coaches and Associated Press polls. An All-Mountain West first team quarterback, he was among the top quarterbacks in the nation in passing yards (fourth; 4,006 yards), passing efficiency (fifth; 166.2), passing yard per game (seventh; 308.2) and passing touchdowns (eighth; 32).
The native of Vancouver, Wash., was responsible for 198 of CSU’s points during the season as the Rams averaged 33.9 points per game on the way to a 10-3 record and a spot in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl. He set every career record in CSU history during the 2014 season and broke his own single-season records for passing yards (4,006) and passing touchdowns (32).
Grayson is only the third MW quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a single season. He threw for more than 400 yards in two different games (434 at Boise State and 425 vs. UC Davis) last year to claim two of the top four passing games in school history. His primary target in 2014, Rashard Higgins, led the nation in receiving yards (1,750), touchdowns (17) and receiving yards per game (145.8).
Grayson is CSU’s second-ever recipient of the award, joining volleyball’s Danielle Minch, who was recognized in 2010-11.
