UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Senior punter Blake Gillikin (Smyrna, Ga.) has been selected to the Academic All-America Division I first team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Gillikin is Penn State's 45th first-team selection (34 players) and 12th two-time first-team selection. Gillikin is one of 11 repeat selections among the 2019 Academic All-Americans.
Gillikin's Academic All-America honor is the 67th for Nittany Lion football program, which ranks second in Division I football history (FBS and FCS). In 2018, Gillikin became the first Penn State punter to be named Academic All-American. Overall, Penn State has 205 Academic All-Americans, which ranks fifth among all schools at all levels and fourth among Division I institutions.
He joins John Runnells (1965, 1966), Harry Hamilton (1983, 1985), Lance Hamilton (1984, 1985), Jeff Hartings (1994, 1995), Paul Posluszny (2005, 2006), Gerald Cadogan (2007, 2008), Josh Hull (2008, 2009), Andrew Pitz (2008, 2009), Stefen Wisniewski (2009, 2010), Pete Massaro (2010, 2012) and John Urschel (2012, 2013) as Nittany Lions to earn two career first-team Academic All-American honors.
The Smyrna, Georgia native owns a perfect 4.0 grade-point average as a kinesiology major. Gillikin earned his third Academic All-District selection in November. He is a two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and three-time Academic Big Ten selection. He claimed the Evan Pugh Scholar Award, given to those juniors and seniors who are in the upper 0.5 percent of their respective classes, in May 2018. He also earned the President's Freshman Award, which recognizes Penn State students for academic excellence, in May 2017.
A two-time team captain, Gillikin is currently third on Penn State's career punting chart (42.99 ypp) and set the program record with a 44.0 punting average in 2018. He has 98 career punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, including 53 inside the 10-yard line. He has hit 10 career punts of 60 or more yards and is the only player in program history with seven punts of 65 yards or more. He has four punts of 70 or more yards, including a 72-yard punt against Rutgers. This season, Gillkin is averaging 42.0 yards per punt with 30 punts inside the opponents' 20 and 11 punts of 50 or more yards. His 72-yard punt against Rutgers was the seventh-longest punt in program history. His 49.2 yards per punt against Rutgers is Penn State's 11th-highest punt average. Gillikin was selected All-Big Ten honorable mention by the coaches and media. He also earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
Gillikin won two Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors this season, after the Michigan State and Iowa games. He was named to the Ray Guy Ray's 8 Team following his performances at Iowa and against Pittsburgh. He is a finalist for the Pop Warner Award. In addition, he was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy and the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award. He was also a candidate for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Senior CLASS Award and Wuerffel Trophy.
The No. 10 Nittany Lions will face No. 17 Memphis in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Saturday, Dec. 28 at noon. The game will air on ESPN. It marks the first meeting between the schools and Penn State's 50th all-time bowl appearance.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and reserving new 2020 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 9 a.m-4:30 p.m.
