CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Notre Dame star Manti Te'o just keeps winning.

The leader of the undefeated Fighting Irish found out Monday morning he had won the Butkus Award given to the nation's top linebacker. Then he accepted the Bronko Nagurski Award as the nation's top defensive player later in the day.

He also picked up a trip to New York as one of the finalists for the Heisman Trophy.

The energetic senior linebacker from Hawaii helped put Notre Dame back on the national radar this season, leading the top-ranked Irish to a perfect regular season and a date with Alabama in the BCS championship game Jan. 7.

Te'o says being mentioned along with former Nagurski winners such as Charles Woodson, Terrell Suggs, Warren Sapp and Champ Bailey is "something very special to me."

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