State Honors For White

Almost a month to the date after being named the West Virginia Amateur Athlete of the Year by the state sportswriters association for the second year in a row, West Virginia University senior quarterback Pat White is being honored as Alabama’s Amateur Athlete of the Year by its state sportswriters’ association on Sunday, June 8, in Birmingham, Ala.

Last year, White was named the Alabama Athlete of the Year by the United States Sports Academy in Mobile, Ala. He was named the West Virginia Amateur Athlete of the Year on May 4, in Morgantown.

White has led the Mountaineers to three straight 11-win seasons, two Big East Conference titles, three straight New Year’s bowl game victories and three straight Associated Press Top-10 finishes.

Last year, White rushed for 1,335 yards and 14 touchdowns and completed 67 percent of his passes for 1,724 yards and 14 touchdowns. He led the Mountaineers to an 11-2 record, the Big East Championship and a 48-28 victory over No. 3 Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. He was named the Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second-straight year, was named the bowl’s offensive MVP for the second-straight year and finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting for national player of the year.

For his career, the 2008 preseason All-American and leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy has run for 3,506 yards and 39 touchdowns, and completed 64 percent of his passes for 4,207 yards and 35 touchdowns. Already the career Big East leader, he needs 784 more yards to become the all-time rushing quarterback in NCAA Division I-A history. He lacks 115 yards to become WVU’s all-time leader in total offense.