Italiano Earns MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week
10/28/2015 1:31:00 PM | Football
Kent State senior safety Jordan Italiano (Canfield, Ohio) was named Mid-American Conference Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week Wednesday. The pre-med/biochemistry major carries a 3.98 heading into his fourth academic year.
Italiano made a season-high 11 tackles against Bowling Green this past Saturday, bringing his career total to 236.Â
The three-year starter is a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, is one of 80 FBS players on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and a nominee for the 2015 All-State American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.
The MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week honor is presented to a MAC male and female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during the week's competition. The winners are selected by a group of the conference's faculty athletic representative.
In eight weeks of the award this season, a Kent State football player has earned the nod three times. Junior safety Nick Cuthbert (Chesterland, Ohio) has been MAC Male Scholar Athlete of the Week twice this season.
Earlier this summer, Italiano was tabbed "Smartest Player in College Football" in NFL.com's 15 for '15 series.Â
A standout on the field and in the classroom, Italiano is a two-time Academic All-America selection, including first team honors in 2014. On the gridiron, he has forced five fumbles and intercepted five passes in his career.
Kent State returns to action Thursday, Nov. 5, hosting MAC East foe Buffalo at 7 p.m.
