USU football: Former Utah State football player Robert Turbin named WAC's top male student-athlete

Former Utah State football player Robert Turbin has been named the 2011-12 Western Athletic Conference Joe Kearney Award winner as announced by the league office Friday. Turbin joins Idaho track athlete Andrew Blaser as co-winners on the men’s side, while Louisiana Tech track and field athlete Chelsea Hayes was the women’s award winner.

Named in honor of former WAC commissioner Joe Kearney, the awards are given annually to the top male and female student-athletes in the WAC.

It is the first time in the 21-year history of the award there have been co-winners for either the men or women. It is also the first time in its seven years in the league a student-athlete from Utah State has won the award.

Turbin, a native of Fremont, Calif. (Irvington HS), earned Utah State's first WAC Offensive Player of the Year award in 2011 and helped the Aggies to its first winning season since 1993 and a trip to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. He rushed for 1,517 yards and led the WAC in scoring with 23 touchdowns and 138 points. The junior finished his career as the school's all-time leader in scoring with 308 points and total touchdowns with 51. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

"Robert Turbin epitomizes what the Joe Kearney Award is all about," said Utah State head coach Gary Andersen. "High achievement, leadership, and class describe his career. It was a privilege to coach such an outstanding student-athlete and watch him grow as a player and person. Young men like Robert are very rare and certainly deserve all honors that come their way."

Doug Hoffman is the assistant athletic director for Utah State University Athletic Media Relations.