University News

News in Brief: Mike Hollins Garners Comeback Player of the Year Award

December 19, 2023 • By Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu

Months after being hospitalized to heal gunshot wounds, Mike Hollins played 11 games this season for the Cavaliers and led the team with seven rushing touchdowns. (Photo by Josie Drumheller, UVA Athletics)

The inspiring story of Mike Hollins continues to gain national recognition.

Hollins, a University of Virginia graduate student who recently finished his playing career with the Cavalier football program, was named on Monday as one of the three winners of the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award. He shared the honor with University of Michigan running back Blake Corum and College of the Holy Cross linebacker Jacob Dobbs.

The award, voted upon by a panel of college football writers, editors and sports information directors, annually recognizes a trio of college football players who have overcome injury, illness or other circumstances.

Hollins returned to play for the Wahoos this season after surviving being shot in the back during the Nov. 13, 2022, tragedy on Grounds that took the lives of three of his teammates. Despite spending weeks in the hospital, he returned to the team in time for spring practice and appeared in 11 games this fall, leading the team in rushing touchdowns with seven.

Last month, Hollins was announced as the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Brian Piccolo Award, annually given to the league’s most courageous football player. Last week, the Louisiana native received the Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award.

Hollins is also a finalist for the 2023 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award. The winner will be announced in February.