Sivek, Coaching Staff Highlight All-UAA Awards

Nov. 20 – (ROCHESTER, N.Y.) – After a year in which the Carnegie Mellon football team finished 10-0 in the regular season, including a perfect path through the University Athletic Association (UAA), the Tartans placed a total of 26 players on the All-UAA team announced Wednesday, November 22 by the league coaches. Junior running back Travis Sivek (Traverse City, Mich./St. Francis) was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while the coaching staff earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors.

Thirteen of the players were from the nationally ranked defense, 11 from the nationally ranked offense and three from the special teams unit. The class breakdown is defined by 11 seniors, 10 juniors, and five sophomores.

Starting with the offensive line, all five starters received recognition. Making the first team was junior center Anthony Ciotti (Selinsgrove, Pa.), junior guard Jameson O’Donnell (Marianna, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic), senior guard J.P White (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon), and junior tackle Andrew Althouse (Wyomissing, Pa.). Sophomore tackle Brian Freeman (Independence, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) was named honorable mention.

Sophomore tight end Derek Wisnieski (Indiana, Pa.), senior receiver Mark Davis (Loveland, Ohio) and senior receiver Jon Kline (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) were also honored. Wisnieski and Davis made the first team, with Kline reeling in an honorable mention selection.

Senior quarterback Kevin Mulkern (Springfield, Pa.) and junior running backs Sivek and Robert Gimson (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla/The Benjamin School) also made the first team. Sivek and Gimson were 1-2 in the league in rush yards and touchdowns. This marked the third straight season Sivek has led the association in both categories. Mulkern led the league in pass efficiency with a rating 47 points higher than the next QB.

Together the offense led the UAA with 39 touchdowns and 381.9 yards of total offense a game.

The defensive line put four players on the squad with junior nose guard Michael Reggie (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles Prep) making first team. Reggie finished the regular season with 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Sophomores Steve Curran (Somers Point, N.J./Mainland Regional) and Clay Crites (Tuscarawas, Ohio/Indian Valley) made the second team, as sophomore Robert Keelan (North Brunswick, N.J./North Brunswick Twp.) was an honorable mention selection.

The inside linebackers had one member on each of the three teams. Senior Jamie Ploetzner (Rathdrum, Idaho/Lakeland) was named to the first team, senior James Rogers (Battle Ground, Was./Skyview) was named second team, and senior Drew Serdy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) was honorable mention. Rogers led the group with 68 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. In seven games, Ploetzner had 31 tackles, two interceptions and one safety.

Juniors Trent Sisson (Novi, Mich.) and Jonathan Bodnar (Cheswick, Pa./Deer Lakes) were honored with first and second team, respectively, from their outside linebacker positions. Sisson finished the regular season with 63 tackles, 3.5 sacks, five pass breakups and one forced fumble. Bodnar totaled 52 tackles, two interceptions for 72 yards and one forced fumble.

Three seniors and a junior were honored from the secondary. Junior Jonathan Scholl (Coraopolis, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) and senior Aaron Lewis (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont) made the first team, while senior Jonathan Menhart (Rices Landing, Pa./Carmichaels) was second team and senior Nat Scarmazzi (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon McMillan) was honorable mention. As a unit, the defensive backs allowed just nine touchdowns in the air this season and were responsible for seven of the teams 11 interceptions.

Rounding out the team selections is the special teams unit. Junior Matt Adams (Dublin, Ohio) earned first team as a punter, senior Nathaniel Greenstein (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) was a first team kicker and Menhart was a first team punt returner. Adams average 36.1 yards per punt with a long kick of 56 and Greenstein made five-of-eight field goals and was successful on 29 point after attempts. Menhart finished the 10 regular season games ranked 28th in the nation and gained 11.9 yards per return.