TAMPA BAY — The Tampa Bay Storm announce Cliff Dukes was named the Game Tape Exchange Defensive Lineman of the Year by the Arena Football League earlier this week.

“We are extremely proud of the work Cliff put in this season and that is he deserving of this honor,” said Head Coach Dave Ewart.  “He busted his tail this season, worked hard and it showed.   Cliff is a class act and leader on this team.”

Dukes (6-foot-3, 280 lbs., Michigan State) led the Storm this season with 16 tackles for a loss, a new team record and 12.5 sacks, tied for the league lead and second most in team history.  He also recorded four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries, each ranking in the top 10 of the AFL in 2011.

His season included a four sack performance in Week 1 against the New Orleans VooDoo the third best single-game effort in team history which also won him Defensive Player of the Week Honors.

He also tallied 40.5 tackles and a blocked kick on defense as he helped the Storm boast the AFL’s top passing defense, holding opponents to 241.9 yards per game as well as set a new AFL franchise single-season sack record with team total of 40 sacks.

The first and only other player to garner lineman of the year honors for the Storm was Kent Wells in 1996 as the Storm went on to win its fourth Arena Bowl championship that season.

Dukes was also named as a finalist for the 2011 Riddell Defensive Player of the Year.

Other candidates for the Game Tape Exchange Defensive Lineman of the Year included: Cleveland Gladiators DL Tim Cheatwood; Dallas Vigilantes DL Dusty Bear; Tampa Bay Storm DL Tim McGill; Pittsburgh Power DL Terrance Carter; Arizona Rattlers DL Antajj Hawthorne and Tyre Glasper; and Utah Blaze DL Khreem Smith and Mike Smith.