
Ulofoshio Earns 116th Guy Flaherty Award At UW Football Banquet
December 03, 2023 | Football
SEATTLE – Senior linebacker Edefuan Ulofoshio won the 116th annual Guy Flaherty Award, the Washington football program's oldest and most prestigious team honor Sunday at the teams' annual postseason awards banquet, held at Alaska Airlines Arena.
The Flaherty Award, given to the UW's most inspirational player and voted on by the players was first awarded in 1908. Ulofoshio is a former walk-on and 2023 team captain from Anchorage, Alaska, who helped lead UW to a 13-0 record, the Pac-12 Championship and a berth in the 2023 College Football Playoff.
Also Sunday, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (Tampa, Fla.), edge Bralen Trice (Phoenix, Ariz.), and linebacker Carson Bruener (Woodinville, Wash.) were named the team's most valuable offense, defensive and special teams players, respectively. Penix and Trice both won those awards for the second year in a row.
Here is a complete recap of all of Washington's team award winners for 2023:
2023 Washington Football Awards
Guy Flaherty Most Inspirational
Edefuan Ulofoshio
Offensive Most Valuable Player
Michael Penix Jr.
Defensive Most Valuable Player
Bralen Trice
Special Teams Most Valuable Player
Carson Bruener
101 Club Academic Award
Will Nixon
Academic Achievement Award
Jacob Bandes
Husky Excellence Award
Devin Culp, Jack Westover & Ulumoo Ale
Tyee Sports Council Community Service Award
Josh Cuevas
Travis Spring Most Outstanding Freshmen
Landon Hatchet
Newcomers of the Year Award
Dillon Johnson & Jabbar Muhammad
Don James Perseverance Award
Zion Tupuola-Fetui
Earle T. Glant Tough Husky
Dominique Hampton
Husky Fever 12th Man Award
Dylan Morris
Iron Husky Starving Champion Award (from Strength & Conditioning staff)
Drew Fowler, Dylan Morris & Alphonzo Tuputala
Iron Husky Battle of the Cut Award (from Strength & Conditioning staff)
Ryder Bumgarner
John P. Angel Offensive Power Player of the Year
Troy Fautanu
L. Wait Rising Defensive Power Player of the Year
Tuli Letuligasenoa
Offensive Skill Player of the Year Award
Rome Odunze
Defensive Skill Player of the Year Award
Jabbar Muhammad
Bob Jarvis Offensive Scout Squad MVP
Will Haskell Jr.
Brian Stapp Special Forces Scout Squad MVP
Jake Jennings
Mark Drennan Defensive Scout Squad MVP
Austin Harnetiaux
Apple Cup Play of the Game Award
Grady Gross
Chuck Niemi Big Hit Award
Tristan Dunn
Kurt Gegner Memorial Award
Lucas Horowitz (equipment), Yechan Yun (video), Kaelynn Nadonza (training room), Nate Donlevy (creative)
The Flaherty Award, given to the UW's most inspirational player and voted on by the players was first awarded in 1908. Ulofoshio is a former walk-on and 2023 team captain from Anchorage, Alaska, who helped lead UW to a 13-0 record, the Pac-12 Championship and a berth in the 2023 College Football Playoff.
Also Sunday, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (Tampa, Fla.), edge Bralen Trice (Phoenix, Ariz.), and linebacker Carson Bruener (Woodinville, Wash.) were named the team's most valuable offense, defensive and special teams players, respectively. Penix and Trice both won those awards for the second year in a row.
Here is a complete recap of all of Washington's team award winners for 2023:
2023 Washington Football Awards
Guy Flaherty Most Inspirational
Edefuan Ulofoshio
Offensive Most Valuable Player
Michael Penix Jr.
Defensive Most Valuable Player
Bralen Trice
Special Teams Most Valuable Player
Carson Bruener
101 Club Academic Award
Will Nixon
Academic Achievement Award
Jacob Bandes
Husky Excellence Award
Devin Culp, Jack Westover & Ulumoo Ale
Tyee Sports Council Community Service Award
Josh Cuevas
Travis Spring Most Outstanding Freshmen
Landon Hatchet
Newcomers of the Year Award
Dillon Johnson & Jabbar Muhammad
Don James Perseverance Award
Zion Tupuola-Fetui
Earle T. Glant Tough Husky
Dominique Hampton
Husky Fever 12th Man Award
Dylan Morris
Iron Husky Starving Champion Award (from Strength & Conditioning staff)
Drew Fowler, Dylan Morris & Alphonzo Tuputala
Iron Husky Battle of the Cut Award (from Strength & Conditioning staff)
Ryder Bumgarner
John P. Angel Offensive Power Player of the Year
Troy Fautanu
L. Wait Rising Defensive Power Player of the Year
Tuli Letuligasenoa
Offensive Skill Player of the Year Award
Rome Odunze
Defensive Skill Player of the Year Award
Jabbar Muhammad
Bob Jarvis Offensive Scout Squad MVP
Will Haskell Jr.
Brian Stapp Special Forces Scout Squad MVP
Jake Jennings
Mark Drennan Defensive Scout Squad MVP
Austin Harnetiaux
Apple Cup Play of the Game Award
Grady Gross
Chuck Niemi Big Hit Award
Tristan Dunn
Kurt Gegner Memorial Award
Lucas Horowitz (equipment), Yechan Yun (video), Kaelynn Nadonza (training room), Nate Donlevy (creative)
Players Mentioned
UW Football Press Conference: February 4, 2026
Wednesday, February 04
Olin Kreutz | College Football Hall of Hame Class of 2026
Wednesday, January 14
Chris Petersen | College Football Hall of Hame Class of 2026
Wednesday, January 14
Head Coach Jedd Fisch Press Conference: January 14, 2026
Wednesday, January 14




























