ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 28, 1996 TAG: 9611290114
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B3 EDITION: HOLIDAY
DATELINE: CHAPEL HILL, N.C.
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
THE UNC CORNERBACK nearly sweeps voting for the Associated Press award.
One year after being unsure of his ability and asking to sit out the season, North Carolina cornerback Dre' Bly was named The Associated Press 1996 rookie of the year in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The 5-foot-10, 180-pound redshirt freshman was a near unanimous selection Wednesday by the Atlantic Coast Sports Writers Association after breaking the ACC single-season interception record with 11.
Bly, of Chesapeake, Va., received 84 of a possible 91 votes, while Georgia Tech quarterback Joe Hamilton was a distant second with six votes and Florida State quarterback Dan Kendra had one.
``As the year went along it kind of clicked that I might have been able to win the award,'' Bly said. ``But I didn't go out there and play to just win the award, I just went out there tying to do the best I could each game.''
Bly was an integral part of North Carolina's pressure defense this season and helped the Tar Heels lead the ACC in pass defense.
In addition to his record-setting interception season, Bly also broke up 13 passes - the third highest single-season mark in North Carolina history.
Bly is the fourth North Carolina player to win the award.
LENGTH: Short : 35 lines KEYWORDS: FOOTBALLby CNB