TAMPA - USF sophomore returner Lindsey Lamar has been named the 2010 BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year, the conference office announced on Wednesday.

"I can't tell you how excited and shocked I am right now," Lamar said. "I'm so happy and blessed, but this is an award for all of our special teams. Those guys work hard to give me a chance and I couldn't have done any of it without them. It's just great."

Lamar becomes USF's second BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year honoree with the first being kick returner Ean Randolph in 2006. Lamar is the first USF player since 2007 Defensive Player of the Year George Selvie to earn a major individual honor from the conference and fourth since USF joined the league in 2005. 

Lamar averaged 28.1 yards on 30 kickoff returns in the regular season, leading the BIG EAST with 842 yards and two touchdowns. He sprunga 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Syracuse and had a 100-yard return for a score against Louisville, becoming the 10th player in BIG EAST history to register two kickoff returns for touchdowns in a season. He also became the first returner in USF history with two kickoff return TDs. Lamar finished the regular season with 1,004 all-purpose yards and had six games with at least 100 all-purpose yards.

The league's coaches vote for the most deserving honorees, but are not allowed to vote for their own players.