MOATS NAMED JMU'S MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR

HARRISONBURG, Va., April 19, 2010 - Senior football defensive end Arthur Moats (Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) Monday was named James Madison University's male athlete of the year during the university's athletics awards banquet at the Festival Conference and Student Center.

JMU athletes during the evening's activities were recognized for numerous team and individual accomplishments during the last year. The top awards included male and female scholar-athletes of year and male and female athletes of the year.

In addition to Moats, sophomore football placekicker Dixon Wright (Crossnore, N.C./Avery County) was recognized as a finalist for JMU's male scholar-athlete of the year.

Moats, who is expected to be selected in this week's National Football League draft, won the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the Football Championship Subdivision. During the 2009 season he took part in 90 tackles, including 42 unassisted, a team-record 23.5 for loss and 11 quarterback sacks. He was the Colonial Athletic Association defensive player of the year and first-team All-America by Associated Press, the American Football Coaches Association, the Walter Camp Foundation and The Sports Network.

Moats was the national leader among FCS players in tackles for loss, and his overall tackles total was the best among defensive linemen in the division.

Moats was named the Virginia Division I defensive player by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association, and he was a first-team all-state, All-CAA and All-Eastern College Athletic Conference honoree.

Wright during the 2009 season was JMU's leading scorer with 56 points. He was successful on 10 of 13 field attempts and on 26 of 28 conversion kicks. Wright has a 3.83 grade-point average in a computer information systems major, and he has been recognized as a CAA football scholar-athlete.