July 20, 2005

PARK RIDGE , IL - The Big Ten Conference office announced the list of players scheduled to appear at the 2005 Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon today, a group that features 21 players who have earned All-League accolades in their careers. The annual event, which also features all 11 head coaches, is scheduled for Tuesday, August 2, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, beginning at 10 a.m. with the player and coach autograph and photo session. The luncheon is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. with ABC Sports' Gary Danielson serving as the master of ceremonies.

Highlighting the list of players are eight returning First Team All-Big Ten selections, including Illinois punter Steve Weatherford, Iowa linebackers Chad Greenway and Abdul Hodge, Michigan tight end Tim Massaquoi, the Minnesota duo of center Greg Eslinger and guard Mark Setterstrom, Northwestern linebacker Tim McGarigle and Ohio State linebacker A.J. Hawk. Weatherford earned First Team honors as a junior after ranking fourth in the nation with an average of 45.4 yards per punt last season. Greenway helped the Hawkeyes top the league in total defense for the first time since 1984. Hodge, who has collected First Team All-Conference accolades in each of the last two seasons, led Iowa and ranked fourth in the league in tackles (9.7 pg). Massaquoi was tabbed First Team All-Big Ten last season after finishing fourth among the Wolverines with 10.2 yards per reception. The Minnesota duo of Eslinger and Setterstrom return for their senior seasons after helping the Gophers lead the Big Ten in rushing offense for the second consecutive year. McGarigle, who became the first NU player to earn First Team All-Big Ten honors since 2000, enters his final year in Evanston as a candidate for the Bednarik and Butkus Awards. Hawk was named a First Team All-American as a junior after racking up a team-best 141 tackles, the most by an OSU player since 1986.

Four Second Team All-Conference picks from last season will also be present - Ohio State safety Nate Salley, Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny and cornerback Alan Zemaitis,and Purdue tight end Charles Davis. Salley started in 10 games last year and finished sixth on the team in tackles with 55 total stops. Posluszny is a candidate for the Bednarik and Nagurski Awards after leading the Nittany Lions in tackles last year. Zemaitis is a two-time Second Team All-Big Ten pick and enters his senior season with 130 career tackles. Davis appeared in all 12 games last season to finish fourth on the team with 34 receptions for 416 yards and three touchdowns.

Nine of the attendees earned Honorable Mention All-Big Ten laurels last season in Iowa wide receiver Ed Hinkel, Michigan defensive tackle Pat Massey, Michigan State center Chris Morris and quarterback Drew Stanton, Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez, Ohio State center Nick Mangold, Purdue defensive tackle Brandon Villarreal, and Wisconsin defensive back Brett Bell and offensive lineman Joe Thomas. A complete list of players scheduled to attend the Kickoff Luncheon follows.

The Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon annually draws some of the most interesting and talented names in college sports. The list of former Kickoff Luncheon attendees includes coaching legends like Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes along with each of the Big Ten's Heisman Trophy winners in the last 34 years - Archie Griffin, Desmond Howard, Eddie George, Charles Woodson and Ron Dayne. In all, over 600 of the conference's finest players, more than 50 head coaches and 35,000 supporters have made the Big Ten Kickoff Luncheon a yearly stop in their pre-season college football schedule.

Tickets are still available for the Kickoff Luncheon. For ticket information, visit the conference website at www.bigten.org, or call the Big Ten office at 847-696-1010.

PLAYERS ATTENDING 2005 BIG TEN CONFERENCE KICKOFF LUNCHEON

Big Ten Football

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