Willie Lanier starred for Morgan State University. But until now, no athlete from a historically black college or university had won the Touchdown Club of Richmond’s Lanier Award.

The drought ended Dec. 9 when Virginia Union University quarterback Shawheem Dowdy won the Lanier Award.

The trophy was presented to Dowdy by Lanier, a Richmond native, at a Henrico County hotel.

The Lanier Award, dating to 2004, goes to Virginia’s top performer in the NCAA Division II or III or the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Of the previous 11 recipients, nine were aligned with Division III of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, while the others went to athletes at Christopher Newport University, then a member of Division III USA-South, and the University of Virginia-Wise campus, then a part of the NAIA.

Twice previously VUU athletes Lamar Little and Andre Braxton were nominated but did not win.

Dowdy now has a chance to make history twice.

There have been no Lanier repeat winners.

Just a junior, Dowdy will enter 2016 as the prime candidate for a wide array of honors. In helping to revitalize VUU football under Coach Mark James, Dowdy passed for 2,410 yards and 20 touchdowns, spurring the Panthers to their first NCAA bid since 1991.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound quarterback from Baltimore also ran for 310 yards and four touchdowns and choreographed an explosive offense averaging 439.4 yards per game.

Also honored by the Touchdown Club was VUU junior Paulin Miano, who was named top small college defensive lineman.

Miano made 57 tackles, including a school record 25 behind the line of scrimmage.

The Touchdown Club’s top prize — the Dudley Award — was presented to James Madison University quarterback Vad Lee. He accepted the trophy while on crutches following knee surgery.

The Dudley Award, named after the late Bill Dudley who starred at the University of Virginia and in the NFL, goes to the top athlete from a Division I FBS or FCS school.

In addition to Lee, other nominees were Safety DeAndre Houston-Carson of The College of William & Mary and University of Richmond running back Jacobi Green.

Absent from the list of nominees was Norfolk State University linebacker Deon King, who led the NCAA Division I (FBS and FCS) in tackles with 163.

King has been invited to play Jan. 23 in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl in Carson, Calif.

The Dudley and Lanier award winners are selected by a vote of a 13-member panel of media from around Virginia.

Willie Lanier played linebacker for Morgan State when the Bears were part of the NCAA’s College Division. Morgan State is now a member of Division I of the FCS.