June 12, 2007
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
University of Maryland linebacker Erin Henderson was named to the preseason watch list for the 2007 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Tuesday in an announcement by the Football Writers Association of America.
The Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football and is sponsored by the Charlotte Touchdown Club.
Henderson is one of 49 student-athletes on the watch list, including seven from the Atlantic Coast Conference. Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall of Virginia Tech, Calais Campbell of Miami, Jolonn Dunbar of Boston College, Chris Long of Virginia and Philip Wheeler of Georgia Tech join Henderson on the list, which may be adjusted throughout the season.
Henderson was a second-team All-ACC selection in 2006, after missing all of the previous year with a knee injury. He ranked second in the ACC and 31st nationally in tackles, posting 8.8 per game (114 total). The junior was also tied for second in the league in forced fumbles with 0.23 per contest.
Henderson, an Abeerdeen, Md., native, was named to the Preseason Playboy All-America team last month. His brother E.J., who currently plays for the Minnesota Vikings and was a Maryland All-America linebacker, was a finalist for the 2002 Nagurski Trophy.
The FWAA All-America Committee selects the Bronko Nagurski winner from the association's 11-man All-America defensive team in November. The watch list was developed by the FWAA All-America committee with the help of the schools and conferences.
The Charlotte Touchdown Club will hold its banquet on Monday, Dec. 3, at the Westin Hotel in Charlotte. Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis won the 2006 Bronko Nagurski Trophy.
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded in memory of the legendary Nagurski, a former All-America lineman at Minnesota in 1927-29 and a star for professional football's Chicago Bears in the 1930s.
Henderson and the Terps kick off the 2007 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 when they play host to Villanova at 6 p.m. from Chevy Chase Bank Field at Byrd Stadium.
Season tickets for this fall's six-game home slate start as low as $162 and are on sale through the Maryland Athletics Ticket Office. Fans can contact 1-800-IM-A-TERP or click here.
Terp Notes: Florida International University announced Tuesday that its contest with Maryland, which is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 8, will be broadcast by ESPN 360. ESPN 360.com is a robust, multi-feature broadband service, free to fans that get high-speed broadband service from an ESPN-affiliated provider.
