Four football players named academic All-MAC, most UT honorees in 15 years

January 10, 2011 | News, UToday
By Paul Helgren



Four UT student-athletes have been named to the 2010 Academic All-Mid-American Conference football team. It is the largest number of Academic All-MAC honorees for UT football since seven Rockets made the team in 1995.

The four honorees are senior center Kevin Kowalski, junior offensive lineman Mike VanDerMeulen, sophomore defensive lineman T.J. Fatinikun and sophomore linebacker Dan Molls.

Rockets receiving honorable mention Academic All-MAC were sophomore offensive lineman Zac Kerin, junior long snapper Colin McHugh, junior defensive tackle Malcolm Riley, junior safety Mark Singer, redshirt freshman Christian Smith and sophomore tight end Jared Strait.

“I’m extremely proud of the student-athletes who made the Academic All-MAC team, and proud of all the young men in our program who are working very hard in the classroom,” said Head Coach Tim Beckman. “Our goal is for our players to achieve excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, and we feel they are definitely committed to achieving that goal.”

Toledo’s 2010 Academic All-MAC Honorees

Fatinikun

Fatinikun

T.J. Fatinikun
Sophomore Defensive End
GPA: 3.41
Major: Communication
Hometown/High School: Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg
Named third-team All-MAC; led team and was sixth in MAC with 13.0 TFL, most tackles for loss by a Rocket since 17.0 by Mike Alston in 2006; tied for second in MAC with four forced fumbles; also had 5.0 sacks; led defensive line with 51 tackles; career-best 2.5 tackles for loss vs. Kent State, including crucial 10-yard sack in second half; career-high seven tackles at Ohio; and nominee for Academic All-America.

Kowalski

Kowalski

Kevin Kowalski
Senior Center
GPA: 3.67
Major: Education
Hometown/High School: Macedonia, Ohio/Nordonia
Started all 13 games at center; leader of offensive line that ranked fourth in MAC in total offense (365.4/game) and third in rushing yards (163.8); has 47 consecutive career starts for most on the team; nominee for Academic All-America; and 2009 Academic All-MAC honorable mention.

Molls

Molls

Dan Molls, Toledo
Sophomore Linebacker
GPA: 3.57
Major: Exercise Science
Hometown/High School: North Royalton, Ohio/Padua Franciscan
Third-team All-MAC selection; second on team and second in MAC and eighth in nation with 143 tackles; tied for team lead with three interceptions; career-high 19 tackles vs. Northern Illinois; 17 tackles vs. Wyoming; six tackles, one sack, one forced fumble, one interception and one pass broken up vs. WMU; career-high 11 tackles in 20-13 win vs. Ohio, plus two interceptions and a key fourth-down sack late in the game; named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week for performance vs. Ohio; also named honorable mention national linebacker of the week by College Football Performance Awards and MAC Player of the Week by Rivals.com; and nominee for Academic All-America.

VanDerMeulen

VanDerMeulen

Mike VanDerMeulen
Junior Offensive Tackle
GPA: 3.32
Major: Human Resource Management
Hometown/High School: Marshall, Mich./ Marshall
Third-team All-MAC selection; has started 37 straight games, every contest since the first game of his freshman season; key part of offensive line that ranked fourth in MAC in total offense (365.4/game) and third in rushing yards (163.8); nominee for Academic All-America; and 2009 Academic All-MAC honorable mention.

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