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October 30, 2019

Stampeders Award Finalists

Linebacker Nate Holley is up for two honours as the Calgary Stampeders announce their list of finalists for the 2019 Canadian Football League player awards.

Holley is the Stamps’ nominee for the Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player awards. Calgary’s other finalists are Reggie Begelton (Most Outstanding Player), Cory Greenwood (Most Outstanding Canadian), Tre Roberson (Most Outstanding Defensive Player) and Shane Bergman (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman).

Calgary’s award finalists were determined by voting members of the Football Reporters of Canada (FRC) as well as one vote from the Stampeders coaching staff.

Here is a closer look at the Stampeders’ nominees:

Reggie Begelton (Most Outstanding Player): The third-year receiver out of Lamar University has been one of the CFL’s breakout stars in 2019. Begelton heads into the final week of the regular season among the league leaders in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,384) and touchdown catches (10). He has at least three catches in all 16 games he has played and has five 100-yard games as well as three other contests in which he amassed at least 90 receiving yards. Begelton has twice been honoured as a CFL player of the week including an Aug. 17 game against Montreal in which he recorded eight catches for 173 yards and four touchdowns.

Nate Holley (Most Outstanding Rookie and Most Outstanding Special Teams Player): The linebacker from Kent State played primarily on special teams for the first seven games of the season before drawing his first starting assignment. Despite starting just six of Calgary’s 17 games, Holley ranks third on the club with 69 defensive tackles. He also has one sack, one fumble recovery, one interception and three knockdowns. With a team-leading 20 special-teams tackles, Holley has made a total of 96 defensive plays this season, good for a tie for fifth place among all league players.

Tre Roberson (Most Outstanding Defensive Player): The second-year player is one of top shutdown cornerbacks in the league. Roberson ranks second in the CFL with seven interceptions and the Illinois State alum has scored two touchdowns – one on an interception return and one on a fumble recovery. In 16 games this season, Roberson also has 12 knockdowns – the third-highest total in the CFL – as well as 41 tackles. He twice has been honoured as a CFL player of the week and his last-minute field-goal block on Sept. 14 preserved a win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

Cory Greenwood (Most Outstanding Canadian): Greenwood was the CFL’s leading tackler when he went down with an injury in Week 14. Despite missing five games, he remains among the league leaders with 79 takedowns and also has three forced fumbles, two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. Greenwood had a season-high 12 tackles in an Aug. 8 game against Winnipeg.

Shane Bergman (Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman): The seven-year veteran from the University of Western Ontario has made 16 starts at left guard and has been instrumental in helping protect the Calgary quarterbacks’ blind side. Bergman has been the leader of a line that has allowed the second-fewest sacks in the CFL and has helped the Stamps offence rank in the top third of a number of categories.