5 PSU football players invited to NFL combine
A quintet of Penn Staters have been invited to the National Football League's Scouting Combine next week in Indianapolis.
Cornerback Rich Gardner, wide receiver Tony Johnson, placekicker David Kimball, fullback Sean McHugh and linebacker Deryck Toles have been invited to participate in the February 18-24 event at the RCA Dome. More than 300 players will be involved in the Combine.
A two-year starter at cornerback, Gardner recorded 49 tackles with one interception and six pass break-ups.
Johnson led the Nittany Lions with 32 receptions for 445 yards (13.9) this past season, including a team-high four touchdown catches.
Kimball posted 37 touchbacks on 52 kickoffs, a 71 percent clip. He was 2-of-5 on field goal attempts, with one of the attempts from 60 yards, and 4-of-4 on PAT attempts.
McHugh was named the Hall Foundation Award winner as Penn State's Senior MVP. A 2003 co-captain, he was third on the team in rushing and receptions and is outstanding blocker.
Toles started every game last season at outside linebacker, finishing with 75 tackles, good for third on the squad. The Warren, Ohio standout recorded six tackles for loss, including three sacks, grabbed one interception, forced one fumble and recovered a fumble.
The NFL Draft is April 24-25. A school record four Nittany Lions were chosen in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft. Penn State was seventh nationally with 32 former players on NFL rosters during the 2003 season.
Tan's rings performance earns him Big Ten honor
After posting a career-high 9.925 on the still rings at the Winter Cup and winning the event finals with a 9.875, Penn State senior Kevin Tan has been named Big Ten Men's Gymnast of the Week. The title was his second straight at the Winter Cup, a qualifying event for the U.S. National Team. Tan won the event after tying Ohio State's Blaine Wilson and winning the tiebreaker because of a higher start value. Tan is the 2003 NCAA rings champion and has won the last two Big Ten titles.
The Lions return home this week after spending three weekends away from Rec Hall. Penn State hosts Temple tomorrow in a double dual meet with the women's team, who will host Minnesota. The dual meet begins at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall.
Ohio football prospect added to Big 33 roster
Incoming Penn State football player and Howland defensive back/wide receiver Tony Davis was added yesterday to the Ohio roster for July's PNC Big 33 Football Classic at Herseypark Stadium.
He joins recent addition Gerald Cadogan as the Nittany Lions' representatives for the Ohio squad.
Both Davis and Cadogan will go up against five of their future Penn State teammates on the Pennsylvania squad. The Keystone State's roster includes linebacker Dontey Brown, quarterback Anthony Morelli, linebacker Tyrell Sales, defensive tackle A.Q. Shipley and fullback Dan Lawlor.
Davis was named the Ohio Div. II Player of the Year in addition to being an All-State tailback.
Coaches choose 2 Lions for preseason honors
Senior Rob Bateman and junior Will Jones were selected to the 2004 ECAC Preseason All-League Team in a vote by Eastern College Athletic Conference coaches on Wednesday.
Bateman was voted as the lone long-stick midfielder on the team and was also named ECAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, he started in all 14 matches and led Penn State and the ECAC in ground balls (90) and ground balls per game average (6.92). Bateman earned second-team All-ECAC honors last season and was selected as a USILA honorable-mention All-American.
Jones filled one of the three midfield positions last year. He tied for sixth on the team in points with 12 and collected 16 ground balls last year. Jones scored two goals against Towson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and scored the game-winning goal against Massachusetts earlier in the season. He was selected as ECAC Offensive Player-of-the-Week after his three-goal performance against the Minutemen.
