Redshirt senior Chris Borland was already named Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year, the award coming on the heels of one of the best defensive careers in Badger history.
Tuesday he could add one more honor to his already legendary tenure as anchor of Wisconsin’s defense: Big Ten Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year.
Borland recorded a team-best 102 tackles this season, good for fifth in the Big Ten despite missing one complete game and the majority of another with a hamstring injury.
Borland finished the regular season at sixth place on UW’s all-time tackles list with 410, a number that is also second among active Football Bowl Subdivision players.
Just the fifth Wisconsin player to win the award, Borland led a defense that ranks sixth nationally in both total yards allowed and points allowed.
The Kettering, Ohio, native was also a consensus pick on the All-Big Ten Team.
An impressive football resume is one thing, but Borland also leads the team in community service hours, leading the Big Ten to also give Borland its sportsmanship award.
Also on the list of Badgers honored by the Big Ten this fall is freshman setter Lauren Carlini, who was selected on the All-Big Ten Volleyball Team as well as being named the Big Ten Freshman of the year.
The 2012 National Gatorade High School Player of the Year, Carlini is a key player on a No. 13 Wisconsin team making its first NCAA Tournament appearance Friday since losing to Iowa State in the second round in 2007.
Carlini is just the third Badger to win Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and the first to be selected on the All-Big Ten team since 2007.
The Aurora, Ill., native has put up a team-best 10 assists per set and ranks second on the team in digs with 2.91 per set, even after missing four matches with a leg injury this season.
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall, Carlini is also the only freshman among the nation’s Top 25 setting a 5-1 offense.
