http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/
FROM KEITH GROLLER
The good news keeps coming for Lehigh University football products.
Check out this release from Lehigh's SID Steve Lomangino:
BETHLEHEM – For the third time this week a former Lehigh football player has signed to play professionally. Quarterback Brandon Bialkowski will be taking his talents north of the border as he has signed with the Ottawa REDBLACKS of the Canadian Football League.
In his first season as Lehigh’s starting quarterback, Bialkowski emerged as one of the top passers in the Football Championship Subdivision, leading the Mountain Hawks to a 6-1 record before suffering a season-ending injury in Lehigh’s eighth game of the season. A second team All-Patriot League selection, Bialkowski completed over 64 percent of his passes for 2,647 yards and 18 touchdowns compared to 10 interceptions in eight games. Prior to his injury he ranked in the top five in the FCS in passing yards per game and completions per game.
In his first career start, Bialkowski threw for 366 yards and four touchdowns in Lehigh’s come-from-behind double overtime win over Central Connecticut State. Bialkowski went on eclipse the 300 yard passing mark in Lehigh’s first six games in 2013, highlighted by a 430 yard effort on a school record 42 completions in a comeback win at Princeton on September 21.
Bialkowski saw time in 11 games as a junior but did not attempt a pass. He saw his first varsity action as a sophomore against rival Lafayette and was a member of Lehigh’s back-to-back Patriot League championship teams in 2010 and 2011. A psychology major, Bialkowski was a two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
The Gilbert, Arizona native is the first Lehigh football player to sign with a CFL team since Gerran Walker ’06 who appeared in 19 games with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2008 and 2009 and had a brief stint with the Toronto Argonauts in 2010.
The Ottawa REDBLACKS are an expansion team that will be the ninth team in the CFL when the 2014 season begins next month. Bialkowski joins veteran Henry Burris (Temple) plus Corey Leonard (Arkansas State) and Thomas DeMarco (Old Dominion) as quarterbacks on the REDBLACKS’ roster.
Ottawa will play its first of two exhibition games against Saskatchewan on Saturday, June 14. The REDBLACKS’ first regular season game will be at Winnipeg on Thursday, July 3.
Earlier this week two Lehigh football alumni signed on with NFL teams as offensive lineman Will Rackley ’11 inked a deal with the Baltimore Ravens and linebacker Billy Boyko ’13 signed on with the Carolina Panthers. Wide receiver Ryan Spadola ’13 is the third former Mountain Hawk on an NFL roster as he re-signed with the Miami Dolphins earlier this year. From the class of 2014, wide receiver Lee Kurfis participated in a rookie minicamp with the Dallas Cowboys last week.
No comments:
Post a Comment