Posluszny also given nomination for Butkus

Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny, winner of the 2005 Butkus Award, is among the semifinalists for the 2006 honor, which is presented to the nation's top linebacker.

The 6-2, 238-pound Posluszny is one of 10 semifinalists for the honor. Three finalists will be announced on November 9 and the winner of the 22nd Butkus Award will be announced Saturday, December 9.

Nittany Lion junior Dan Connor also was among the initial candidates for the Butkus Award. Penn State was one of six schools with two candidates for the 2006 Butkus Award, and the lone Big Ten school with multiple candidates.

The 2006 Preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Posluszny leads the Nittany Lions with 57 tackles this season, including three tackles for losses, one sack and two pass break-ups.

In addition to Posluszny, nine other players were selected semifinalists for the 2006 Butkus Award: H.B. Blades (Pittsburgh), Buster Davis (Florida State), David Harris (Michigan), Ali Highsmith (LSU), James Laurinaitis (Ohio State), Rey Maualuga (USC), Sam Olajubutu (Arkansas), Brandon Siler (Florida) and Patrick Willis (Mississippi).

Penn State's Junker on Big Ten committee

The Big Ten Network announced yesterday the five individuals who will comprise its first Board of Directors, an entity which will provide leadership and oversight for the "television home of the Big Ten Conference," scheduled to launch in August of 2007.

The members of the five-person Board of Directors include Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany, Fox Sports Networks Chief Operating Officer Randy Freer, former PNC Bank Vice Chairman and Penn State philanthropist Edward "Ted" Junker III, President of Fox Sports Networks Bob Thompson and New York Mets Chairman of the Board and CEO Fred Wilpon.

The Board of Directors is responsible for providing strategic oversight and corporate governance for the Network. The General Manager, who is scheduled to be hired by the end of the year, will report to the Board. The Board will develop the long-term vision of the Network and will sustain the ongoing commitment to becoming a premier, nationally distributed channel.

Junker retired in 1997 as vice chairman of PNC Bank Corp., having served as chairman and chief executive officer of Marine Bank in Erie, Pennsylvania. He is also a graduate of Penn State.