PSU’s Chisena, Gillikin earn academic honors
Penn State wide receiver Dan Chisena, a Downingtown East grad, and punter Blake Gillikin were named Wednesday to the National Football Foundation’s Hampshire Honor Society.
In order to be considered for membership, a player must be a starter or significant contributor in his final year of eligibility and must maintain a cumulative 3.2 grade-point average or higher throughout the course of his undergraduate study.
Chisena graduated in December with a 3.63 GPA and a degree in security and risk analysis. He received Academic AllBig Ten honors and Penn State’s Ridge Riley Memorial Award for sportsmanship, scholarship, leadership and friendship as a senior.
He shared the Nittany Lion Club Academic Achievement Award with Gillikin for being the seniors with the highest GPA. He appeared in 12 games last season, including two starts, and caught three passes for 66 yards. He made two tackles and recovered a fumble on special teams and received the John Bruno Award as an outstanding member of Penn State’s special teams.
Gillikin, who carries a 4.0 GPA in kinesiology, became the
12th Penn State player to be named a two-time first-team Academic All-American. A native of Smyrna, Ga., he finished his career tied for second in school history with a 43.0 average.
He’s the only player in Penn State history with seven punts of at least 65 yards and the only one with four punts of at least
70 yards. He holds the school record for best punting average in a season (43.95), which he set in 2018.
WADE PRAISE » Penn State assistant coach Terry Smith said he expects senior safety Lamont Wade to be elected as one of the team captains for the 2020 season.
Smith coaches the cornerback position, where Wade played his first two seasons with the Nittany Lions.
“Lamont has grown tremendously from the time he walked in as a freshman,” Smith said Wednesday. “His maturity is at a different level. His leadership is at a different level. He’s truly the leader of the entire secondary.
“Lamont is probably going to be a captain of the team. He’s the voice of our defense.”
Wade enjoyed an outstanding season last year when he made 67 tackles, broke up five passes and had five sacks. He also forced three fumbles, all against Ohio State.
“He now knows exactly who he is,” Smith said. “He knows what he needs to work on and develop. He’s become a really good football player for us. We’re looking forward to his senior year to explode and do some great things for us.” HIPPENHAMMER DECIDES » Former Penn State wide receiver Mac Hippenhammer, who had entered the NCAA transfer portal, announced Wednesday on social media that he would enroll at Miami (Ohio).
Penn State coach James Franklin said three weeks ago that Hippenhammer was leaving the football team to focus on baseball. He had been outfielder with the Nittany Lions.
He played in 20 football games the last two seasons, making eight catches for 118 yards and one touchdown, which came at Pittsburgh in 2018 on his first career reception.