Malvern Native Finalist For Prestigious NCAA Award

A Malvern Prep alum has been named a finalist for a prestigious award from the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Carl Nassib, a defensive back for Penn State, is in consideration in the final round for the Nagurski Trophy, which is awarded to the best defensive player in the NCAA.

Nassib is also one of three Penn State defensive lineman that were on the Bednarik Award “Watch List” in preliminary rounds. The Bednarik Award has been presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1995.

Nassib and Austin Johnson were added to the list in October. Their teammate, Anthony Zettel was already on the list.

Nassib was the only one of his teammates to become a semifinalist, an honor accorded to only 20 players nationwide.

Chuck Bednarik, former standout at Penn and with the Philadelphia Eagles, is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame’s Class of ‘69 and the NFL Hall of Fame’s Class of ‘67.

Four Nittany Lions have won the Bednarik award, the most by any football program.The three finalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced November 24. The winner of the 2015 Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be held on December 10 at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.

The Nagurski Award, meanwhile, is adjudicated by the Football Writers Association of America. Nassib is one of five finalists.