June 30, 2016
IRVING, Texas – Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod announced today that football MVP Brandon Doughty of WKU and Kylee Hanson of Florida Atlantic softball were selected as the 2015-16 C-USA Athletes of the Year.
Complete C-USA Athletes of the Year release 
Doughty was the recipient of the C-USA Most Valuable Player award, becoming the first football player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons. One of college football’s most productive signal-callers, Doughty broke every passing record in program history and holds 37 school records, including 17 career records. The five-time C-USA Offensive Player of the Week led the FBS in passing touchdowns (48), completion percentage (71.9) and passing yards (5,055) during the 2015 season. Doughty is just the third QB in FBS history to throw for more than 4,000 yards and 40+ touchdowns in back-to-back seasons. He closed his career by throwing a touchdown pass in 28-straight games, which was the longest active streak in the FBS. Doughty led the Hilltoppers to the Conference USA Championship, the school’s first title since moving to the FBS level. A native of Davie, Florida, Doughty was selected by his hometown Miami Dolphins in the NFL Draft.
In a league stocked with depth in the circle, FAU’s Hanson shined the brightest from start to finish in 2016. She tossed two no-hitters (one on opening weekend and one in the regular-season finale) and boasted the nation's top ERA (0.76), earning C-USA Pitcher of the Year and now C-USA Athlete of the Year honors. The Jupiter, Florida, native received two National Player of the Week awards (ESPNW and NFCA) and racked up seven C-USA Pitcher of the Week honors, just one short of the single-season record set a year ago. Hanson's 26 overall victories during the regular season finished as third-best in the NCAA, while her perfect 16-0 mark in C-USA play is a league all-time record. The Owl ace finished 28-5 (.848) during her junior campaign, tied for the seventh-best in the nation in both victories and winning percentage. Hanson led Florida Atlantic to both the 2016 C-USA regular-season and tournament titles as well as the Gainesville Regional for the second-straight year.
The 2015-16 athletic season marked the 13th time that C-USA has honored Male and Female Athletes of the Year. The award is based solely on athletic achievement during an academic year and the winners are determined by a vote of the conference’s Athletics Directors. A complete list of winners to follow:
Conference USA Athletes of the Year
Year - Male/Female Winners
2015-16 - Brandon Doughty, WKU football/Kylee Hanson, Florida Atlantic softball
2014-15 - Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Miranda Kramer, WKU softball
2013-14 - Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Ebony Rowe, Middle Tennessee basketball
2012-13 - Anthony Rotich, UTEP track & cross country/Aurieyall Scott, UCF track & field
2011-12 - Case Keenum, Houston football/Camilla Carrera, UTEP softball
2010-11 - Chad Zurcher, Memphis baseball/Tori Bowie, Southern Miss track & field
2009-10 - Anthony Rendon, Rice baseball/Blessing Okagbare, UTEP track & field
2008-09 - Jason Colwick, Rice track & field/Toni Paisley, East Carolina softball & Sara Radosevic, Tulane volleyball
2007-08 - Chris Douglas-Roberts, Memphis basketball/Angel Shamblin, Houston softball
2006-07 - Joe Savery, Rice baseball/Ebonie Floyd, Houston track & field
2005-06 - Brad Lincoln, Houston baseball & DeAngelo Williams, Memphis football/Jillian Robbins, Tulsa basketball
2004-05 - Lance Broadway, TCU baseball/Sandora Irvin, TCU basketball
2003-04 - Michael Kogan, Tulane tennis/Chandi Jones, Houston basketball