Belton Awarded Riddell Defensive Player of The Year
August 25, 2016 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Philadelphia Soul News Release
PHILADELPHIA - The Arena Football League today announced that Soul DB Tracy Belton (6'0, 180, UMass) has been awarded Riddell Defensive Player of the Year. Belton was also awarded Uber Defensive Back of the Year and First Team All-Arena this season.
"Tracy has been a standout player in our secondary all season and deserves a great deal of recognition," said Soul head coach Clint Dolezel. "His ability to read offenses and make big plays are the reason that he is the top in the league. His knowledge and experiences from many years in the AFL have allowed him to be a leader and mentor to the younger players on our team."
In his first year with the Soul, Belton led the team with 90.0 total tackles, 20 pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. He led the league in interceptions, finishing with nine for 129 yards and three defensive touchdowns. In 2015, Belton was a member of the New Orleans VooDoo. He was ranked second on the team with 76.0 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss of five yards, three interceptions for 96 yards and 23 pass break-ups. He split time with the Orlando Predators and the Jacksonville Sharks in 2014, tallying 71.5 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for a loss of two yards, five interceptions for 48 yards and seven pass break-ups.
The Soul have secured the American Conference Championship and a spot in ArenaBowl XXIX. The team will travel to Glendale, AZ to take on the Arizona Rattlers on Friday, August 26 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN and 97.5FM The Fanatic.
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