OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. | Alabama A&M graduate senior safety Keon Handley Jr. was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2026 Aeneas Williams Award, the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame announced Tuesday.
 
Through nine games, Handley ranks fifth on the team with 34 tackles, including 16 solo stops and 18 assists. He has recorded two tackles for loss, one sack and one quarterback hurry, and his five pass breakups are tied for the team lead.
 
Handley is one of six safeties on the semifinalist list and one of eight players representing the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
 
Presented by the Chickasaw Nation, the award honors the top defensive back in Division I HBCU football. A screening committee selects the semifinalists in partnership with DraftHBCUPlayers and the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award based on on-field performance, athletic ability and character. Three finalists will be selected, and players outside the semifinalist field remain eligible for consideration.
 
Established in 2022, the award is named for Aeneas Williams, a former Southern University walk-on who earned eight Pro Bowl selections during a 14-year NFL career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
 
The winner will be announced Thursday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m. CT. The award will be presented Feb. 9, 2027, in Oklahoma City in conjunction with the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Banquet.
 
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