UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Sophomore tight end Pat Freiermuth (Merrimac, Mass.) and junior center Michal Menet (Birdsboro, Pa.) were selected to preseason watch lists Friday. Freiermuth was named to the Mackey Award watch list for the outstanding collegiate tight end, while Menet earned a spot on the Rimington Trophy watch list for the nation's best center.
The Mackey Award is given annually to the most outstanding collegiate tight end. The award is named after NFL Hall of Fame member John Mackey, who is considered to be the best to have played the tight end position. Mike Gesick was a finalist for the honor in 2017.
The Rimington Trophy is given annually to the most outstanding center. The award is named for former University of Nebraska standout Dave Rimington and benefits the Boomer Esiason Foundation for cystic fibrosis. A.Q. Shipley is Penn State's lone Rimington Trophy winner in 2008.
Freiermuth was selected as a Freshman All-American by The Athletic, 247Sports and ESPN. He also earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades from the conference's coaches and media. He finished No. 2 among FBS tight ends and led the Big Ten tight ends with eight touchdown catches as a true freshman. Freiermuth's eight score set the Penn State mark for most touchdowns by a freshman tight end and rank 10th overall. He is one of three freshmen (four occasions) in program history to have two touchdown receptions in a game, joining Kyle Brady (vs. Cincinnati, 1991) and Deon Butler (vs. Central Michigan & Wisconsin, 2005). Freiermuth was named to the Sports Illustrated All-Bowl team after catching two passes for 38 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown against Kentucky in the VRBO Citrus Bowl.
Menet started 12 games at center in 2018. He helped the Penn State offense finish 16th in red zone offense (.923), 29th in rushing offense (208.6) and 29th in scoring offense (34.6) in FBS in 2018. Additionally, the Nittany Lions posted their highest rushing average (204.9) since 2008 (205.8), led by second-team All-Big Ten selection Miles Sanders. Menet blocked for Trace McSorley, who became Penn State's all-time passing leader and wins as a starting quarterback, finishing his career with 9,899 yards and 77 touchdowns. Menet opened up holes for Sanders, who posted the 26th 1,000-yard rushing season in program history, finishing with 1,274 yards to rank 11th on the single-season chart. Sanders also became the 28th player in program history to rush for 200 yards against Illinois (9/21/18).
Six different Nittany Lions have been named to preseason watch lists. They include: senior punter Blake Gillikin – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team; junior defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos – Bednarik Award (National Defensive Player of the Year), Lott IMPACT Trophy (National Defensive Player of the Year on and off the field); junior wide receiver KJ Hamler – Maxwell Award (National Player of the Year), Biletnikoff Award (outstanding wide receiver); junior center Michal Menet – Rimington Trophy (top center); sophomore tight end Pat Freiermuth – Mackey Award (outstanding collegiate tight end); sophomore linebacker Micah Parsons – Bednarik Award (National Defensive Player of the Year).
The Nittany Lions' home schedule features three non-conference games and four Big Ten Conference match-ups. The Nittany Lions open the season against Idaho (Aug. 31; 3:30 p.m.), Buffalo (Sept. 7; 7:30 p.m.) and the 100th all-time meeting with Pittsburgh (Sept. 14; noon) in non-conference action. In Big Ten play, Penn State welcomes Purdue (Oct. 5; noon), Michigan (Oct. 19), Indiana (Nov. 15) and Rutgers (Nov. 30) to Happy Valley.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and reserving new season tickets for the 2019 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, 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.
Nearly 4,500 new season tickets have already been sold for the 2019 campaign.
