Colorado State University Athletics
Past Nye Trophy Award Winners
The first individual trophy in CSU history was established in 1929 by William and Elwood Nye, both former Aggie athletes. The Nye Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding male athlete every year and has become the most coveted trophy given out on an annual basis. Elwood Nye ran on Harry Hughes' first track team in 1911-12 and graduated with his doctor of veterinary medicine in 1914. His younger brother William ran on the track team and was a member of the 1915 and 1919 conference championship football teams, he graduated with his DVM in 1920.
Colonel Elwood Nye spent 29 years with the United States Army veterinary corps, beginning his service in 1917 when the United States entered into WWI. He served in the US Army Calvary in WWI and also in WWII. Elwood also taught at CSU for several years. After Elwood's retirement from the army in 1946, he taught bacteriology and pathology as an associate professor on the faculty at CSU Veterinary College.
His brother William enlisted in the US Army in WWI and was stationed at Fort Collins with rank of Drill Sergeant. Prior to his enlistment he served on the Mexican Border. He served in WWII, with retiring with rank of Major in the US Army Chemical Warfare Services. At CSU besides football, he ran track and also was the school's first boxing coach. William, also a veterinarian, spent most of his life in Idaho and Montana.
Both brothers supported Colorado Aggies athletics in every way possible and in 1929 decided to establish the Nye Trophy Award. They continued to come back to the school each year to personally present the award until their deaths, William died in 1965 at the age of 70 and Elwood died in 1975 at the age of 83.
NYE TROPHY AWARD WINNERS
| Year | Name | Sport |
| 2024-25 | Nique Clifford    | Basketball |
| 2023-24 | Isaiah Stevens | Basketball |
| 2022-23 | Isaiah Stevens | Basketball |
| 2021-22 | Trey McBride | Football |
| 2020-21 | Eric Hamer | Track & Field |
| 2019-20 | Eric Hamer | Track & Field |
| 2018 | Nico Carvacho | Basketball |
| 2017 | Mostafa Hassan | Track & Field |
| 2016 | Mostafa Hassan | Track & Field |
| 2015 | Garrett Grayson | Football |
| 2014 | Trevor Brown | Track & Field |
| 2013 | Colton Iverson | Basketball |
| 2012 | Wes Eikmeier | Basketball |
| 2011 | Andy Ogide | Basketball |
| 2010 | Bryce Hanstad | Golf |
| 2009 | Gartrell Johnson | Football |
| 2008 | Jason Schutz | Track |
| 2007 | Jason Smith | Basketball |
| 2006 | David Anderson | Football |
| 2005 | Joel Dreesen | Football |
| 2004 | Martin Laird | Golf |
| Bradlee Van Pelt | Football | |
| 2003 | Brian Greene | Basketball |
| Drew Loftin | Track | |
| 2002 | John Woods | Track |
| 2001 | Bryan Berryhill | Track/XC |
| 2000 | Kevin McDougal | Football |
| 1999 | Bryan Berryhill | Track/XC |
| 1998 | Moses Moreno | Football |
| 1997 | Calvin Branch | Football |
| 1996 | Greg Myers | Football |
| 1995 | Anthoney Hill | Football |
| 1994 | Mattias Borrman | Track |
| 1993 | Greg Primus | Football |
| 1992 | Greg Primus | Football |
| 1991 | Brian Copeland | Football |
| 1990 | Mike Mitchell | Basketball |
| 1989 | Pat Durham | Basketball |
| 1988 | Pat Durham | Basketball |
| 1987 | Steve Bartalo | Football |
| 1986 | Rich Strong | Basketball |
| 1985 | Keli McGregor | Football |
| 1984 | Terry Nugent | Football |
| 1983 | Richie Hall | Football |
| 1982 | Eddie Hughes | Basketball |
| 1981 | Kevin Sheesley | Wrestling & Football |
| Alvin Lewis | Football | |
| 1980 | Jon Sinclair | Track |
| Ritchie Harris | Track | |
| 1979 | Mike Bell | Football |
| 1978 | Al Baker | Football |
| 1977 | Glenn Goya | Baseball |
| 1976 | Mark Driscoll | Football |
| 1975 | Marshall Smith | Track |
| Theo Digerness | Gymnastics | |
| 1974 | Bruce Ginther | Track |
| 1973 | Gary Rhoades | Basketball |
| 1972 | Lawrence McCutcheon | Football |
| 1971 | Rick Cooley | Swimming |
| 1970 | Tom Proulx | Gymnastics |
| 1969 | Bill Kishman | Football |
| 1968 | Alton Lavan | Football |
| 1967 | Tom Pack | Football |
| 1966 | Lonnie Wright | Basketball |
| 1965 | Kenneth Blair | Football |
| 1964 | Del Hessel | Track |
| 1963 | William Green | Basketball |
| 1962 | Nick Kohls | Football |
| 1961 | Kay McFarland | Football |
| 1960 | Charles Newcomb | Basketball |
| 1959 | Fred Glick | Football |
| 1958 | Robert Weber | Football |
| 1957 | Gary Hibbard | Basketball |
| 1956 | Gary Glick | Football |
| 1955 | William Tavener | Football |
| 1954 | Joe Mohorcich | Football |
| 1953 | ?? | |
| 1952 | Dale Dodrill | Football |
| 1951 | Jack Christiansen | Football |
| 1950 | Thurman "Fum" McGraw | Football |
| 1949 | Don Mullison | Football |
| 1948 | Alva Finck | Football |
| 1942 | Jim Stinnett | Football |
| 1941 | Larry Miller | Football |
| 1940 | Lewis Wendel | Football |
| 1939 | Joe Peters | Football |
| 1938 | Norman Cable | Football |
| 1937 | William Wagner | Football |
| 1936 | Chester Cruikshank | Football |
| 1935 | Glen Morris | Track |
| Sam Campbell | Football | |
| 1934 | John Toliver | Football |
| 1933 | Lora McDonald | Football |
| 1932 | Albert White | Football |
| 1931 | Eugene Ball | Football |
| 1930 | Dan Beattie | Football |
| 1929 | Glen Davis | Football |