Bednarik winner will receive award today

Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny will receive his second consecutive Chuck Bednarik Award on today at the 70th Annual Maxwell Football Club Awards dinner.

The Maxwell Football Club presents the Bednarik Award to the nation's top defensive player. The award was first presented in 1995 in honor of former Philadelphia Eagles standout Chuck Bednarik.

A two-time first team All-American, Posluszny is just the second two-time winner of the Bednarik Award, joining Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, who won the award in 1995 and '96. Posluszny and Fitzgerald were coached by Ron Vanderlinden, Penn State's linebackers coach since 2001.

The 2005 Butkus Award winner as the nation's top linebacker, Posluszny also was a finalist for the 2006 Butkus and Rotary Lombardi Awards and the Lott Trophy. A 2006 Associated Press and Walter Camp Football Foundation first team All-American, Posluszny joined Dennis Onkotz (1968-69), Shane Conlan (1985-86) and LaVar Arrington (1998-99) as Nittany Lion linebackers that have earned first team All-America accolades twice. He is one of six Nittany Lions to receive All-Big Ten honors three times.