TicketsDec. 6, 2012
CINCINNATI -
Eight University of Cincinnati football student-athletes were named All-BIG EAST Conference for the 2012 season, the league office announced Thursday.
Sophomore OT Eric Lefeld (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater), junior OG Austen Bujnoch (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder), senior TE Travis Kelce (Cleveland Hts., Ohio/Cleveland Hts.), senior DE Dan Giordano (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East) and junior LB Greg Blair (Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley/Lackawanna CC) were named to the first team while senior RB George Winn (Southfield, Mich./UD Jesuit), senior DL Walter Stewart (Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley) and junior P Pat O'Donnell (Lakeworth, Fla./Palm Beach Central) were second-team honorees.
O'Donnell was a first-team honoree in 2011 and the only UC player to repeat all-league honors from a year ago.
Bujnoch and Lefeld helped lead an offensive line unit that paved the way for a 1,000-yard rusher for the third-straight year while surrendering only 13 sacks, a mark that ranks in the Top-20 in the NCAA FBS in 2012.
Kelce emerged as one of the top tight ends in the country, leading the Bearcats by hauling in 40 receptions for 599 yards and seven touchdowns, a mark that ranks sixth among all tight ends in the NCAA FBS.
Giordano was UC's third-leading tackler with 51 stops, including 21 solo tackles. He finished with 12 QB hurries, 6.0 tackles for a loss, tied for the team lead with 5.0 sacks, and snagged two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble, had a pass break up and pass defended.
Blair was first on the team and second in the BIG EAST with 123 tackles, an average of 10.2 per game. He led the team with 8.5 tackles for a loss while adding eight passes defended, six pass break ups, four QB hurries, 2.5 sacks, a pair on interceptions and a forced fumble. He had 11 games with six or more tackles; seven double-digit tackle games and a career best 19 stops at Louisville.
Winn led the league in rushing for most of the campaign, falling to the No. 2 spot after the 12th and final regular season game. He rushed 227 times for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns. The senior had five games rushing over 100 yards, including a season- and career-best 165 yards on 30 carries for three touchdowns against Syracuse. Winn also added 12 receptions for 116 yards and totaled eight tackles on special teams. His 1,204 rushing yards ranks as the seventh-best single-season effort in UC history while his 12 TDs ranks tied for fourth with former standout Isaiah Pead (2011).
Stewart was limited to five games this season due to a career-ending congential spine abnormality that was discovered following the Fordham game. Stewart tallied 22 tackles, with a season-best nine in the season opener against Pittsburgh. He tied for the team high with 5.0 sacks and at the time of his injury was the BIG EAST's active career sacks leader with 17.0. He also added a pair of forced fumbles and a pass break up.
O'Donnell punted 55 times for 2,310 yards and a 42.0 yards per punt average. The junior booted 10 kicks of 50 or more yards, dropped 23 inside the 20-yard line with eight fair catches and only six touchbacks. He had two kicks of 60 yards or more with a season-best kick of 65 yards flipping the field in the USF game and leading a forced fumble for the defense that set up UC's first score. UC's net punting average was second in the BIG EAST and O'Donnell ranked No. 2 as an individual.
Cincinnati (9-3, 5-2 BIG EAST) will close out the 2012 season against Duke in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 27 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET, be televised by ESPN and broadcast on radio by 700 WLW AM.
Tickets are on sale now at CATSTIX.com and by calling 1-877-CATS-TIX. Tickets are available at four pricing levels and are priced at $50 for upper level seats, $75 for lower endzone, $85 for lower sideline and $100 for club seats.
Tickets are available for purchase by all fans, including UCATS members, students and the general public. Seating assignments will be determined by UCATS tier level and then priority points within the tier level. Fans are strongly encouraged to order tickets online to avoid long wait times on the phone or in person at the Athletics Ticket Office.
All individuals who buy or donate tickets through UC will receive: two (2) tickets to a future BIG EAST Conference men's basketball game and a 20% off merchandise credit for the GoBEARCATS.com online store.
2012 BIG EAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
BIG EAST CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville (So., Miami, Fla.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Khaseem Greene, LB, Rutgers (Sr., Elizabeth, N.J.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Matt Brown, RB, Temple (Sr., Baltimore, Md.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Tyler Matekevich, LB, Temple (Fr., Stratford, Conn.)
BIG EAST CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
Charlie Strong, Louisville
Kyle Flood, Rutgers
| ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM | ||||||
| OFFENSE | ||||||
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/High School |
| WR | Alec Lemon * | Syracuse | Sr. | 6-2 | 204 | Crofton, Md./Arundel |
| WR | DeVante Parker | Louisville | So. | 6-3 | 205 | Louisville, Ky./Ballard |
| OT | Eric Lefeld | Cincinnati | So. | 6-6 | 287 | Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater |
| OT | Justin Pugh | Syracuse | Sr. | 6-5 | 297 | Holland, Pa./Council Rock South |
| OG | Austen Bujnoch | Cincinnati | Jr. | 6-5 | 285 | Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder |
| OG | Antwan Lowery | Rutgers | Jr. | 6-4 | 305 | Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus |
| C | Mario Benavides | Louisville | Sr. | 6-4 | 280 | Los Fresnos, Texas/Los Fresnos |
| TE | Travis Kelce | Cincinnati | Sr. | 6-6 | 260 | Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights |
| QB | Teddy Bridgewater | Louisville | So. | 6-3 | 218 | Miami, Fla./Northwestern |
| RB | Ray Graham | Pittsburgh | Sr. | 5-9 | 190 | Elizabeth, N.J./Elizabeth |
| RB | Montel Harris | Temple | Sr. | 5-10 | 207 | Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian |
| K | Maikon Bonani | USF | Sr. | 5-10 | 176 | Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Wales |
| RS | Matt Brown | Temple | Sr. | 5-5 | 165 | Baltimore, Md./Peddie School/Milford Academy |
| DEFENSE | ||||||
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/High School |
| DL | Dan Giordano | Cincinnati | Sr. | 6-4 | 260 | Frankford, Ill./Lincoln-Way East |
| DL | Trevardo Williams * | Connecticut | Sr. | 6-2 | 233 | Bridgeport, Conn./Canterbury |
| DL | Aaron Donald | Pittsburgh | Jr. | 6-0 | 275 | Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills |
| DL | Scott Vallone | Rutgers | Sr. | 6-3 | 275 | Central Islip, N.Y./St. Anthony's |
| LB | Greg Blair | Cincinnati | Sr. | 6-2 | 252 | Pittsburgh, Pa./Schenley/Lackawanna CC |
| LB | Sio Moore | Connecticut | Sr. | 6-2 | 229 | Apex, N.C./Apex |
| LB | Yawin Smallwood | Connecticut | So. | 6-3 | 235 | Worcester, Mass./Doherty |
| LB | Khaseem Greene * | Rutgers | Sr. | 6-1 | 230 | Elizabeth, N.J./Avon Old Farms |
| CB | Adrian Bushell | Louisville | Sr. | 5-11 | 184 | DeSoto, Texas/Cedar Valley CC |
| CB | Logan Ryan | Rutgers | Jr. | 6-0 | 190 | Berlin, N.J./Eastern |
| S | Duron Harmon | Rutgers | Sr. | 6-1 | 200 | Magnolia, Del./Caesar Rodney |
| S | Shamarko Thomas | Syracuse | Sr. | 5-10 | 206 | Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes |
| P | Brandon McManus | Temple | Sr. | 6-3 | 190 | Hatfield, Pa./North Penn |
| * unanimous selection | ||||||
| ALL-BIG EAST CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM | ||||||
| OFFENSE | ||||||
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/High School |
| WR | Mike Shanahan | Pittsburgh | Sr. | 6-5 | 225 | North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin |
| WR | Devin Street | Pittsburgh | Jr. | 6-4 | 190 | Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty |
| WR | Brandon Coleman | Rutgers | So. | 6-6 | 220 | Accokeek, Md./Bishop McNamara |
| OT | Alex Kupper | Louisville | Sr. | 6-3 | 298 | Louisville, Ky./Trinity |
| OT | Kaleb Johnson | Rutgers | So. | 6-4 | 300 | Jacksonville, Fla./Edward H. White |
| OT | Martin Wallace | Temple | Sr. | 6-6 | 300 | New York, N.Y./Beacon School |
| OG | Adam Masters | Connecticut | Sr. | 6-4 | 298 | Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman |
| OG | Mark Popek | USF | Sr. | 6-7 | 299 | Plant City, Fla./Plant City |
| C | Ryan Turnley | Pittsburgh | Sr. | 6-6 | 320 | Hopewell, Pa./Hopewell |
| QB | Ryan Nassib | Syracuse | Gr. | 6-3 | 227 | West Chester, Pa./Malvern Prep |
| TE | Ryan Griffin | Connecticut | Sr. | 6-6 | 247 | Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry |
| RB | George Winn | Cincinnati | Sr. | 5-11 | 210 | Southfield, Mich./Detroit Jesuit |
| RB | Jawan Jamison | Rutgers | So. | 5-8 | 200 | Stark, Fla./The Bolles School |
| K | Brandon McManus | Temple | Sr. | 6-3 | 190 | Hatfield, Pa./North Penn |
| RS | Nick Williams | Connecticut | Sr. | 5-10 | 184 | East Windsor, N.J./The Hun School |
| DEFENSE | ||||||
| Pos. | Player School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown/High School | |
| DL | Walter Stewart | Cincinnati | Sr. | 6-5 | 249 | Ashville, Ohio/Teays Valley |
| DL | Cory Grissom | USF | Sr. | 6-2 | 316 | La Grange, Ga./Troup County |
| DL | Brandon Sharpe | Syracuse | Sr. | 6-1 | 255 | Virginia Beach, Va./Ocean Lakes |
| DL | John Youboty | Temple | Sr. | 6-4 | 250 | Houston, Texas/Klein |
| LB | Preston Brown | Louisville | Jr. | 6-2 | 255 | Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest |
| LB | Sam Barrington | USF | Sr. | 6-1 | 230 | Jacksonville, Fla./Terry Parker |
| LB | Tyler Matekevich | Temple | Fr. | 6-1 | 220 | Stratford, Conn./St. Joseph's/Milford Acadmey |
| CB | Dwayne Gratz | Connecticut | Sr. | 6-0 | 198 | Piscataway, N.J./Piscataway |
| CB | Blidi Wreh-Wilson | Connecticut | Sr. | 6-2 | 190 | Edinboro, Pa./General McLaine |
| S | Calvin Pryor | Louisville | So. | 6-2 | 213 | Port St. Joe, Fla./Port St. Joe |
| S | Hakeem Smith | Louisville | Jr. | 6-1 | 187 | Jonesboro, Ga./Riverdale |
| S | Jason Hendricks | Pittsburgh | Jr. | 6-0 | 180 | Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic |
| P | Pat O'Donnell | Cincinnati | Jr. | 6-5 | 222 | Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central |
| P | Justin Brockhaus-Kann | USF | Sr. | 6-2 | 214 | Winter Springs, Fla./Winter Springs |