Donald voted ACC Defensive Player of the Year

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A big week for Aaron Donald got bigger Wednesday as he was voted the 2013 Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Donald was also named to the All-ACC First Team earlier this week by the association.

Donald won the award in a landslide, receiving 44 of 65 total votes.

“There are some great defensive players in the ACC, so to be selected for this award is a tremendous honor,” Donald said in a press release. “I would like to thank my Pitt coaches and teammates, because they share in this award. I’d also like to thank ACSMA for recognizing not only me, but also Pitt, with this honor.”

Donald leads the nation with 2.2 tackles for loss per game, and he racked up a total of 26.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage. In total, Donald recorded 54 tackles, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles and one blocked kick.

The redshirt senior defensive tackle is also the active leader in career sacks among all NCAA interior linemen with 28.5 quarterback takedowns.

Donald, who’s from Penn Hills, Pa., is the first Pitt player to win a conference player of the year award since defensive end Jabaal Sheard was named the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year after his senior season in 2010. Sheard now plays in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns.

Next week, Donald has multiple opportunities to add to his list of accolades. He is a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Chuck Bednarik Award, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award.