MEMPHIS – Freshman running back Kenneth Gainwell was named one of seven semifinalists for the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Shaun Alexander Freshman Player of the Year Award Monday afternoon.
Gainwell, also a second team All-America honoree on the Sporting News and AFCA teams, was named the American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year and was a unanimous selection to the AAC All-Conference team earlier this year.
The Yazoo City, Mississippi native has 1,425 rushing yards and ranks first among freshmen and ninth nationally in total rushing yards. He also ranks first among freshmen and sixth nationally with 1,957 all-purpose yards and set a Memphis freshman record with seven 100-yard rushing games, six consecutive, breaking the mark held by DeAngelo Williams in 2002.