2009 Male Amateur Athlete of the Year

Eric Berry

This 5-11 sophomore defensive back from Fairburn, Georgia is the first Tennessee player to claim unanimous All-America honors since 1990, one of just nine players nationally to make all five first teams. In his 25 game career, he has become the only player with an interception in seven different games, owns 12 interceptions for 487 return yards and three touchdowns and has broken interception return yard records that had been on the books for a combined 187 years. Berry enters next season just 14 yards shy of the major college career record of 501 interception return yards and currently owns records for a UT season (previously stood for 37 years), UT career (39 years), SEC season (52 years) and SEC career (59 years).


Berry's long list of honors for 2008 include the All-America NCAA Consensus and Unanimous (AFCA, Sporting News, Associated Press, Football Writers and Walter Camp), SEC Defensive Player of the Year - Coaches and Associated Press, All-SEC Coaches and Associated Press, Jim Thorpe Award Finalist, Draddy Trophy and Bednarik Award Semifinalist, Southeast Defensive Back of Year (Touchdown Club of Atlanta) Tennessee Sports Writers Player of the Year and the Jack Tatum Award-Nation's Best Defensive Back (Touchdown Club of Columbus, Ohio).