Dec. 8, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - Senior defensive end Carl Nassib (West Chester, Pa.) was selected to the USA Today All-America second team on Tuesday. The Nittany Lions have had at least one All-America selection in every year since 2005. Nassib is the first Nittany Lion defensive lineman to collect All-America honors since Jordan Hill earned second team accolades in 2012.
Fifteen Nittany Lions have earned a total of 16 first or second-team All-America honors since 2006. With Nassib's USA Today selection, five Penn State defensive linemen have earned first or second team All-America accolades since 2008: Aaron Maybin (2008), Jared Odrick (2009), Devon Still (2011), Jordan Hill (2012) and Nassib (2015).
The native of West Chester, Pennsylvania is a finalist for six national awards - Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman or linebacker), Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player), Ted Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end), Lott IMPACT Trophy (distinguished young men represent the qualities embodied by Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott -- Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity), Burlsworth Trophy (top player that started his career as a walk-on) and the Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player).
Nassib was selected as the Big Ten's Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year and earned first team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media. He is the sixth Nittany Lion to take home Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year accolades since 1998. He joins LaVar Arrington (1998), Courtney Brown (1999), Michael Haynes (2002), Jared Odrick (2009) and Devon Still (2011) on the list of Penn State honorees.
Despite playing only four snaps in the last two games due to injury, Nassib leads FBS in sacks (15.5) and forced fumbles (6) and is second in FBS and first in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (19.5). With one sack at Northwestern, Nassib broke the Penn State single-season sacks record by upping his total to 15.5. He surpasses the mark of 15 sacks set by Larry Kubin (1979) and Michael Haynes (2002).
Additionally, Nassib's six forced fumbles this season are the most by a Penn State player since Haynes had a school-record seven in the 2002. Nassib is the first Penn State player to force two fumbles in two games in a season since Maurice Evans did it in 2007. Evans had two forced fumbles against Indiana and two forced fumbles against Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl. Nassib was a midseason All-America choice by SI.com, ESPN.com, USAToday.com and CBS Sports.
The Nittany Lions will square off against Georgia in the 71st TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, Jan. 2 at noon. The game will air on ESPN. Public tickets go on sale Wednesday at 10 a.m. For more information on tickets, ticket packages and bowl information, visit Penn State's Bowl Central at GoPSUsports.com/bowlcentral.
Penn State season ticket renewals and Nittany Lion Club membership renewals also are underway for the 2016 campaign. The ticket invoice and Nittany Lion Club renewal deadline is Feb. 1, 2015. There will not be any increase in the price of Penn State football season tickets or Nittany Lion Club donation levels for next season. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2016 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.