FRISCO, Texas – After finishing first in kickoff return yards among players in the Football Championship Subdivision and setting Southeastern Louisiana and Southland Conference single-season records in the process, redshirt freshman Jordan Wells finished tied for 10th overall in the inaugural Jerry Rice Award, which is presented to the outstanding freshman in the FCS.

The Jerry Rice Award is named after the NFL Hall of Famer, who had an All-America career at Mississippi Valley State.

Wells, from Round Rock, Texas, earned one first-place vote and six second-place votes among 132 voters in the national award, which is presented by the Sports Network and sponsored by Fathead.com.

Wells returned 52 kickoffs for 1,383 yards in 2011, breaking the previous record of 1,055 yards set by Texas State's Karrington Bush in 2008.

His 26.6 yards per return ranked 15th in the FCS and third among freshmen. Against Central Arkansas in October, Wells totaled 265 yards on nine kickoff returns that also included a 91-yard return.

Wells is the second Lion football player to be considered for national honors, joining former quarterback Martin Hankins, who finished seventh overall for the Walter Payton Award in 2004.

Towson's Terrance West earned the inaugural Jerry Rice Award after rushing for 27 touchdowns and leading the Tigers to the FCS playoffs.

West was a runaway winner of the award, receiving 89 of the 132 first- place votes, 74 more than Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who finished second in the balloting.

In addition to West winning the Jerry Rice Award, his head coach, Rob Ambrose, was honored as the Eddie Robinson Award winner, presented to the FCS Coach of The Year.

Jerry Rice Award Voting............1st....2nd....3rd....4th....5th....Total
1. Terrance West, Towson...........89.....14......6......6......2.....533
2. Taylor Heinicke, Old Dominion...15.....51.....17.....11......7.....359
3. Austin Sumner, South Dakota St...8.....21.....16.....20......9.....221
4. David Johnson, Northern Iowa.....2......4.....23.....16.....13.....140
5. Chuck Diblio, Princeton..........3......5.....17.....13.....17.....129
6. Christian Bryan, Youngstown St...6......6.....10......8.....15.....115
7. Michael German, Tennessee St.....4......5......5.....10......7......82
8. D'Vonte Grant, No Carolina A&T...2......4......5.....14......3......72
9. Dillon Lucas, Villanova..........0......1.....10......6.....10......56
10T.Jordan Wells, SE Louisiana.......1......6......2......4......6......49
10T.Greg McGhee, Howard..............1......5......4......2......8......49
12. Neal Stirling, Monmouth..........1......2......5......4.....11......47
13. Will Whitman, Harvard............0......1......5......5......8......37
14. Mike Crutcher, Missouri State....0......3......0......4......4......24
15. R.J. Harris, New Hampshire.......0......2......1......2......3......18
16. Brady Measom, Southern Utah......0......1......2......1......1......13
17. Ross Scheuerman, Lafayette.......0......1......1......0......4......11
18. Brandon White, San Diego.........0......0......1......2......1.......8
19. Julian Hayes, Monmouth...........0......0......0......2......3.......7
20. Jake Miller, Eastern Washington..0......0......1......1......0.......5
21. *Terrell Robinson, Chattanooga...0......0......1......0......0.......3
22. *Dominique Swope, Ga. Southern...0......0......0......1......0.......2

* - Write-in vote.