Mauti earns another All-American nod

* Courtesy of Penn State Sports Information

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; December 14, 2012 - Penn State senior linebacker Michael Mauti (Mandeville, La.) has been named a first-team All-American by Phil Steele's College Football, earning his second All-America recognition.

A team co-captain, Mauti previously was named an ESPN first-team All-American, giving Penn State 11 first-team All-Americans since 2005. He also was a Pro Football Weekly honorable-mention All-American, one of just four outside linebackers recognized by the publication (two first-team, two honorable-mention).

Penn State's 97th first-team All-American, Mauti is the 83rd Penn State football student-athlete to earn first team All-America recognition, a total of 97 times, dating to W.T. (Mother) Dunn's selection to the Walter Camp All-America squad in 1906.

Mauti is the Nittany Lions' 23rd first team All-American since starting Big Ten Conference competition in 1993 (27 total selections). Mauti is the eighth "LinebackerU." first-team All-America selection since 1999, joining standouts LaVar Arrington (1998, '99), Brandon Short (1999), Paul Posluszny (2005, '06) and Dan Connor (2006, '07). All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman was a second-team All-American in 2009 at Penn State.

A semifinalist for the 2012 Butkus Award, Mauti was selected the Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors by the coaches, media, BTN.com and ESPN.com.

Mauti was the only Big Ten player ranked in the top 10 in the conference in tackles (7th, 96), interceptions (4th, 3) and forced fumbles (3rd, 3). He also led the Big Ten in interception return yards (125). Mauti had 4.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks (minus-25), three interceptions, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two pass break-ups.

The former Mandeville High School All-American started the initial 11 games this season, suffering a knee injury in the first quarter vs. Indiana on Nov. 17 that ended his season. Mauti was selected the Nittany Lions' 2012 Outstanding Senior Player.

Led by first-year coach Bill O'Brien, the ESPN National Coach of the Year, the Nittany Lions posted an 8-4 overall mark and finished second in the Big Ten Leaders Division with a 6-2 record. Penn State won eight of its final 10 games, with the only losses coming against division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. In the season finale, the Nittany Lions beat eventual Big Ten champion Wisconsin, 24-21, in overtime.