NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation has announced the 20 quarterfinalists for the annual Lott Trophy.

Named after Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott, the Lott Trophy is awarded to college football’s Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year.

Now in its sixth year, the Lott Trophy is the first college football award to equally recognize athletic performance and the personal character attributes of the player.

Sponsored by The Pacific Club IMPACT Foundation in Newport Beach, the award is given to the player who exhibits the same characteristics Lott embodied during his distinguished career: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

The 2009 Lott Trophy quarterfinalists
(alphabetically)
1.  Sam Acho (DL, Texas)
2.  Pat Angerer (LB, Iowa)
3.  Eric Berry (DB, Tennessee)
4.  Kurt Coleman (DB, Ohio State)
5.  Jerry Hughes (DL, TCU)
6.  Greg Jones (LB, Michigan State)
7.  Trevard Lindley (DB, Kentucky)
8.  Taylor Mays (DB, USC)
9.  Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama)
10. Gerald McCoy (DL, Oklahoma)
11. Mike Nixon (LB, Arizona State)
12. Eric Norwood (DL, South Carolina)
13. Joe Pawelek (LB, Baylor)
14. Brian Price (DL, UCLA)
15. Brandon Spikes (LB, Florida)
16. Darrell Stuckey (DB, Kansas)
17. Ndamukong Suh (DL, Nebraska)
18. Alterraun Verner (DB, UCLA)
19. Sean Weatherspoon (LB, Missouri)
20. Kyle Wilson (DB, Boise State)

There are eight defensive backs on the quarterfinalist list; six linebackers and six defensive linemen.

The Big 12 has six players on the list, the SEC five, the Pac-10 four, the Big Ten three and one each from the Mountain West and WAC. The semi-finalists will be announced Nov. 3 and the four finalists Nov. 24.

Those four finalists will be flown to Newport Beach, Ca. for the annual black-tie banquet that will be televised by FOX Sports West.