July 13, 2009

Football: Savage Named to The Sports Network's Preseason All-America Team

    Philadelphia, Pa. -- For the third time in his career, Youngstown State defensive tackle Mychal Savage (New Rochelle, N.Y.) has been tabbed a preseason first-team All-American by The Sports Network, the service announced recently.
    Savage was also named to the Sports Network's preseason first team in 2007 and 2008. In 2007, he ended the year being named to the third team by the service following the campaign. Last year, he suffered a season-ending injury in the opener at Ohio State. Having not redshirted previously in his career, he sat out the entire campaign and will use his final year of eligibility in 2009.
    In his career, he has been credited with 124 total tackles making 32 starts in 36 games played. He has eight career sacks.
    Savage was a first-team all-conference selection following his sophomore and junior years and was named the league's all-newcomer team as a freshman in 2006.
    He was one of 12 Missouri Valley Football Conference named to the squad.
    The 2009 Penguins report to camp on Wednesday, Aug. 5, with the first practice slated for Thursday, Aug. 6.
    In other news, YSU was picked 18th in Phil Steele's FCS Top 40. The magazine, which on sale at newsstands now, previews all FCS schools. In the league standings, the Guins are tied for third with North Dakota State and South Dakota State. YSU is behind UNI and Southern Illinois. In the 40, SIU is in the top three (final three to be announced soon), UNI is sixth, NDSU is 16th, SDSU is 20th and Illinois State is 32nd.
    The Penguins also rank fifth nationally on Steele's 2009 Most Improved List.