The Pac-10 announced that its annual honor given to the top defensive player in the conference will be named the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The decision was made by Pac-10 athletic directors at a league meeting on June 8.
Tillman, a former linebacker at ASU, won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Award for his performance during the 1997 season as he was also named a first-team All-American and led the Sun Devils to a 9-3 record.
Tillman went on to star for the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL before foregoing a multi-million dollar contract to enlist in the Army Rangers. He was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan in April.
Love gets some love: ASU offensive tackle Grayling Love was named the first recipient of the Pac-10 Sportsmanship Award. He was chosen by members of the Pac-10 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Love, a business finance major, was named as an All-Pac-10 second-team selection for his play on the field last season and was named an honorable mention selection on the All-Pac-10 academic team. He carries a 3.40 GPA.
Love is also on the football team's leadership council and is known to regularly speak at public schools.
Saindon welcomes first class: Second-year volleyball coach Brad Saindon recently inked his first recruiting class at ASU. The class has six members and is ranked 12th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com and fourth in the Pac-10.
Former Xavier Prep setter Rachel Mittelstaedt is the only local product of the bunch, which will replace a senior class that was heavy on Arizonians.
USC was ranked as having the top recruiting class in the conference and third nationally.
