May 14, 2009
SAN DIEGO - Former San Diego State football player Brian Simnjanovski was killed in a one-car crash on Sunday night in San Diego. He was 27.
Simnjanovski was driving his Audi sedan on Valley Center Road just before 10 p.m. Sunday when he failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into a tree, officials said.
A four-year letterwinner with the Aztecs from 1999-2002, Simnjanovski became one of the premier punters in the Mountain West Conference after joining the program as a walk-on. He was selected as a two-time academic all-American, a three-time all-MWC selection and started 44 consecutive games for SDSU.
During his sophomore campaign, his punt average of 42.8 yards ranked second in the MWC and 14th nationally, earning him second-team all-MWC honors. In 2001, he averaged 43.6 yards, again being named to the all-conference second team. During his senior year in 2002, he was named to the Ray Guy Award watch list, presented annually to the nation's top college punter. He averaged 42.1 yards and earned all-MWC honorable mention accolades.
Simnjanovski ranks third in SDSU history in career punts (178), career average (42.8) and career yards (7,627). He ranks fifth in single season average (43.6), seventh in yards for a single season (2,747) and ninth in yards for a single game (421).
He spent time with four NFL teams between 2003-06 and played for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe. Most recently, Simnjanovski was near the end of completion of his student teaching and was set to receive his credential on May 16.
An evening prayer service will be held Thursday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Petka at 1850 Knob Hill Road in San Marcos. A mass will be held Friday, May 15, at 10 a.m. at the Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Petka.