CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Duke graduate student wide receiver Eli Pancol has been named the recipient of the Atlantic Coast Conference’s 2024 Brian Piccolo Award, the league announced on Monday.
 
The Piccolo Award has been given annually since 1970 in memory of the late Brian Piccolo to the "most courageous" football player in the ACC. As a standout running back at Wake Forest, Piccolo was the ACC Athlete of the Year in 1965 and played for the Chicago Bears before his career was cut short when he was diagnosed with cancer. His courageous fight against the disease was an inspiration to the Bears and the entire football community.
 
In October of 2022, Pancol suffered a broken left ankle, which prevented him from finishing the season. Following that recovery and during the 2023 training camp, he experienced a fracture dislocation of his right ankle, which caused him to miss the entire 2023 season.

Named to the Comeback Player of the Year Award watch list by the College Sports Communicators (CSC), in association with The Associated Press and the Fiesta Bowl, Pancol has started all 12 games this season and caught 55 passes for 741 yards and nine touchdowns. His nine receiving scores lead the Blue Devils and are tied for fourth in the ACC.
 
Against No. 22 SMU (October 26), Pancol set a career-high with 11 receptions and 138 receiving yards, becoming the first Blue Devil with double-digit receptions against a ranked foe since T.J. Rahming tallied 10 catches for 100 yards against No. 15 North Carolina on November 10, 2016. On Senior Day versus Virginia Tech (November 23), Pancol set a career-high with three touchdown catches and 188 receiving yards, including an 86-yard touchdown catch and run.
 
In 56 career games, including 26 starts, he has compiled 125 receptions for 1,653 yards with 14 touchdowns and added seven rushes for 40 yards and two scores. He has averaged 13.2 yards per catch and 5.7 yards per rush in his career as a Blue Devil and has caught at least one pass in 27 consecutive games played, dating back to the 2021 season.
 
In 2019, Panol was an Honorable Mention Freshman All-America selection by Pro Football Focus.

Pancol becomes the seventh student-athlete from Duke to earn the ACC’s Brian Piccolo Award and the first since defensive lineman Scott Youmans in 1993.

ACC Brian Piccolo Award Winners
1970      Paul Miller, QB, North Carolina
1971      Jim Webster, LB, North Carolina
1972      Mark Johnson, QB, Duke
1973      Al Neville, QB, Maryland
1974      David Visaggio, DG, Maryland
1975      Scott Gardner, QB, Virginia
1976      Jeff Green, DE, Duke
1977      Ralph Stringer, DB, NC State
1978      Rex Varn, DB, Clemson
1979      Al Richardson, LB, Georgia Tech
1980      Jack Cain, DB, Clemson
1981      Aaron Stewart, DB, Duke
1982      Kenny Duckett, WR, Wake Forest
1983      John Piedmonte, OLB, Wake Forest
1984      J.D. Maarleveld, T, Maryland
1985      Danny Burmeister, DB, N. Carolina
1986      Ray Williams, WR, Clemson
1987      no recipient
1988      Jerry Mays, TB, Georgia Tech
1989      Michael Anderson, RB, Maryland
1990      Marc Mays, WR, Duke
1991      Scott Adell, T, NC State
1992      Dan Footman, DE, Florida State
                Randy Cuthbert, TB, Duke
1993      Scott Youmans, DL, Duke
1994      Chris Harrison, T, Virginia
1995      Warren Forney, DT, Clemson
1996      John Lewis, RB, Wake Forest
1997      Sam Cowart, LB, Florida State
1998      Anthony Poindexter, DB, Virginia
                Corey Simon, DT, Florida State
1999      Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State
2000      Ed Wilder, FB, Georgia Tech
2001      Matt Crawford, T, Maryland
2002      Anquan Boldin, WR, Florida State
2003      Kevin Bailey, OL, Virginia
2004      Frank Gore, RB, Miami
2005      Ryan Best, S, Virginia
2006      Glenn Sharpe, Miami
2007      Matt Robinson, DE, Wake Forest
2008      Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina
2009      Toney Baker, RB, NC State
2010      Mark Herzlich, LB, Boston College
                Nate Irving, LB, NC State
2011      Giovani Bernard, RB, North Carolina
2012      Shayon Green, DE, Miami
                Chris Thompson, RB, Florida State
2013      Robert Godhigh, RB, Georgia Tech
2014      Duke Johnson, RB, Miami
2015      Hunter Knighton, OL, Miami
2016      James Conner, RB, Pitt
2017      Trevon Young, DE, Louisville
2018      Greg Dortch, WR/KR, Wake Forest
2019      Richard Yeargin, DE, Boston College
2020      Nolan Cooney, P, Syracuse
2021      McKenzie Milton, QB, Florida State
                Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson
2022      Sam Hartman, QB, Wake Forest
2023      Mike Hollins, RB, Virginia
2024      Eli Pancol, WR, Duke