July 8, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
2016 SDSU FOOTBALL PRESEASON ACCOLADES
San Diego State senior football players Calvin Munson (St. Charles, Mo.) and Nico Siragusa (Chula Vista, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic HS) have each been named to a National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) watch list. Munson is on the Bronko Nagurski Watch List, which goes out to the national defensive player of the year, while Siragusa is on the Outland Trophy Watch List, which honors the outstanding interior lineman.
Munson led the Aztecs in multiple categories in 2015 at linebacker, including tackles (98), tackles for loss (15), sacks (9.5) and fumble recoveries (2, tied), while adding two interceptions (both returned for a touchdown), two forced fumbles and seven quarterback hurries. Munson led a defense that finished among the top 10 in FBS in each of the four main categories, including fifth in total (287.3), seventh in scoring (16.4) and rushing (108.7), and 10th in passing (178.6). He eventually was named a first-team all-Mountain West performer and a third-team All-American by Phil Steele Magazine.
Munson is one of only three players from the MW on the 2016 watch list and one of just 12 from a Group of Five conference. Munson is the first SDSU player to be named to the preseason list since Leon McFadden in 2012 and the first San Diego State linebacker since Miles Burris in 2011. He's now one of six Aztecs to ever be named to the preseason Nagurski Award watch list (Kirk Morrison made the list on two occasions).
Munson is now on three preseason lists, including the Nagurski (national defensive player of the year), Bednarik (collegiate defensive player of the year) and the Lott IMPACT (integrity, maturity, performance, academics, community and tenacity). Additionally, he has been named the preseason MW defensive player of the year by ESPN College Football 2016, and a first-team all-MW selection by five national publications - ESPN, Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview, Sporting News, Lindy's Sports and Athlon Sports.
Siragusa, meanwhile, anchored an offensive line that helped SDSU rush for a school-record 3,226 yards in 2015 and have a pair of 1,000-yard rushers for the first time in program history (Donnel Pumphrey and Chase Price). He was also a first-team all-MW selection by the league's media and coaches last year.
Siragusa is just the second San Diego State player to ever make the Outland Trophy list, joining Mike Kracalik in 2004. Siragusa is one of four from the MW on the list and one of 17 from a Group of Five conference.
This offseason, Siragusa has also been named a preseason second-team All-American by Phil Steele's 2016 College Football Preview, and is on the preseason MW first team from ESPN College Football 2016, Phil Steele, Sporting News, Lindy's Sports and Athlon Sports.
The Aztecs are coming off an 11-3 season where they tied a school record for the most wins in a single year, finished with a 10-game winning streak (second-longest active FBS streak heading into 2016), won the MW title (20th conference title in program history) and beat Cincinnati, 42-7, in the Hawai'i Bowl.
SDSU season tickets are now available and can be purchased through GoAztecs.com, over the phone by calling (619) 283-7378, or by visiting Qualcomm Stadium's Window E between 9 a.m. PT and 5 p.m. PT. Fans who purchase season tickets will receive a free Donnel Pumphrey bobblehead.
The bobblehead (one per voucher while supplies last, which will be attached to the season ticket) can be picked up at either the Marketing Suite at Fowler Athletics Center (FAC1010 at the San Diego State campus) from Aug. 23-26 from 9 a.m. PT-5 p.m. PT, outside the Aztec Athletic Ticket Office (Window E) at Qualcomm Stadium from Aug. 30-Sept. 2 from 9 a.m. PT-5 p.m. PT, or before SDSU's opener on Sept. 3 vs. New Hampshire at the table in the Aztec Village (Qualcomm Parking Lot C1 / D1) from 2:30 p.m. PT-4:30 p.m. PT.
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List (National Defensive Player of the Year)
LB Calvin Munson, Sr.
Outland Trophy Watch List (Outstanding Interior Lineman)
OG Nico Siragusa, Sr.