July 29, 2010
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - Penn State pre-season All-American Stefen Wisniewski (Bridgeville) is among the candidates for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, the nation's pre-eminent college Football's Pre-eminent Community Service Award.
In its 19th of being presented, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® is comprised of college football players who stand out for the positive influence they have in their communities.
A senior guard, Wisniewski has been named a 2010 first team pre-season All-American by Sporting News, Phil Steele's College Football Preview and Lindy's Football Preview thus far. He also is on the Watch List for the Rotary Lombardi Award and Outland Trophy.
Wisniewski earned third team All-America and first team All-Big Ten accolades in 2009, starting all 13 games at center for the Nittany Lions. He moved back to guard during spring practice, where he started 12 games in 2008, helping Penn State win the Big Ten Championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl.
The talented and highly-motivated Wisniewski is among Penn State's most accomplished and community service-oriented student-athletes. He has made mission trips to the Dominican Republic during spring break this past March and in the summer of 2009. Wisniewski has participated in the Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB)'s Autism Awareness reading program, THON Make-A-Wish program, Pennsylvania Special Olympics' State Summer Games, Habitat for Humanity, Athletic Directors Leadership Institute, Athletes In Action, The Second Mile and tutored local high school students, among his vast array of community service activities.
A secondary education major in the Schreyer Honors College, Wisniewski was selected a 2009 first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American®, as he added to his 2008 second-team honor. Owner of a superlative 3.92 grade-point average, the squad's highest mark, Wisniewski will have an opportunity in 2010 to become Penn State's first three-time Academic All-American®. He should be a strong candidate for the Campbell Trophy, the academic Heisman, presented by the National Football Foundation
A U.S. Army All-American at Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School, Wisniewski has earned a perfect 4.0 GPA the past three semesters He spent the 2009-10 academic year student teaching 10th-grade English at State College Area High School.
Wisniewski will join teammates D'Anton Lynn (Celina, Texas) and Evan Royster (Fairfax, Va.), along with head coach Joe Paterno, at the 39th Annual Big Ten Kickoff on August 2-3.
A starter in 25 of 26 games the past two seasons, Wisniewski saw action on 905 snaps, the third-highest total on the team in 2009. Wisniewski and the O-Line played a huge role in Penn State ranking No. 2 in the Big Ten in total offense at 406.9 ypg. The Nittany Lions were the only Big Ten team ranked in the top five of the conference's four primary offensive statistical categories in 2009.
Behind the protection of Wisniewski and his linemates, Daryll Clark finished No. 2 in the Big Ten in passing efficiency and threw a school season-record 24 touchdown passes last year. Penn State was third in the Big Ten in fewest sacks allowed and eclipsed 500 yards of total offense on four occasions, including 512 in the regular-season finale at Michigan State.
A special voting panel consisting of former Good Works Team® members and prominent college football media members is responsible for selecting two 11-player Good Works Teams® - one comprising of players from the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and another representing players from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Divisions II, III, and the NAIA - to be announced in September. College Football Hall of Fame member and ESPN broadcaster Lou Holtz is returning for a third year to serve as spokesperson for the program and raise awareness for the stories of the nominees and team members.
Penn State is 51-13 (79.7) since the start of the 2005 season, tied for the nation's No. 7 winning percentage over that span, winning four of its last five bowl games under Hall of Fame Coach Joe Paterno.
The Nittany Lions return 36 letterwinners for the upcoming season, including 13 starters (7 offense, 5 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 10 players that have starting experience. Penn State opens the season Sept. 4 vs. Youngstown State at 12:00 p.m. on Big Ten Network and visits 2009 national champion Alabama on Sept. 11 for a 7:00 p.m. ET clash on ESPN.