Kalkstein Named UAA Football Player of the Year, 18 Other Tartans Earn All-UAA Honors
(ROCHESTER, N.Y.) – Carnegie Mellon University junior quarterback Rob Kalkstein (Monroeville, Pa./Gateway) was named University Athletic Association (UAA) Offensive Player of the Year for his play on the gridiron this fall. Kalkstein, who set three single-season records this season, was joined by five other Tartans as first-team selections, including one player who received first-team accolades at two positions. Kalkstein becomes the first Tartan to garner the Offensive Player of the Year honor since 2007, when Travis Sivek was named.
Of the 19 overall selections, nine Tartans are making a repeat appearance on the All-UAA team while 10 earned conference honors for the first time. For three Tartans, it marks the third time they were honored.
Joining Carnegie Mellon's signal caller on the top team are senior running back Patrick Blanks (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller), senior offensive tackle Patrick Robinson (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty), senior cornerback Sam Thompson (Alcoa, Tenn.), junior offensive guard Nathan Cheek (Lancaster, Ohio) and junior wide receiver Tim Kikta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair). Thompson was also honored on the first-team as the top punt returner, rounding out the Tartans' seven first-team selections. Of the first-team honorees, Cheek is making his third straight appearance on the first team while Blanks and Thompson earned first-team accolades for the second time. Kalkstein and Robinson were named to the second team a year ago. Blanks was a second-team selection after his sophomore campaign.
Kalkstein became the Tartans' single-season passing, completion and completion percentage leader this fall. He finished the season passing for 2,148 yards on 136 completions and a percentage of .624. He passed Thomas Hubka's records of 127 completions and 1,963 passing yards, which were set during the 1967 campaign. Kalkstein's .624 completion percentage topped Phil Pantalone's .623 mark set in 2009. He ended the season first in the UAA in pass efficiency (164.79) and total offense per game (197.45) while ranking 10th in Division III in pass efficiency. The junior passed for a career-best 314 yards in the Tartans' 51-28 win over DePauw on September 22, becoming the first Tartan to pass for 300 yards since 1993. Five of Kalkstein's 16 touchdown passes this season were 50 yards or more while his 16 touchdown tosses tied him for fourth on Carnegie Mellon's single-season list. Kalkstein ranks fifth on the school's all-time passing and touchdown lists with 3,912 yards and 24 touchdowns for his career.
Kikta was Kalkstein's top target this season, as the wide receiver caught 44 passes while setting a Tartan single-season record with 954 yards receiving. Kikta led the UAA in receiving yards, as well as receiving touchdowns with seven. Earlier in the season, the junior set a single-game record with 158 yards receiving in the Tartans' 37-7 victory at Allegheny College on national television. Sophomore wide out Timothy Swanson (Millburn, N.J.) was the team's second-leading receiver behind Kikta, catching 29 passes for 519 yards and five touchdowns. For his efforts, the sophomore earned All-UAA honorable mention honors.
Blanks headed a backfield that led the UAA in rushing for the 15th straight season, as the Cardinal and Gray totaled 2,024 yards on the ground. Blanks ended the 2012 season with 686 yards rushing while leading the UAA with 10 rushing touchdowns. The senior ends his career sixth on the school's all-time rushing chart with 2,091 yards. During his career, he recorded seven multi-touchdown rushing games and scored three touchdowns in a game on five occasions. Blanks also caught 23 passes for 269 yards and added two receiving touchdowns this season, giving him 12 total scores. Joining Blanks on the All-UAA backfield is junior fullback Zachary Erra-Hernandez (Las Cruces, N.M./Onate) as a second-team selection. Erra-Hernandez was the team's third leading rusher with 276 yards and six touchdowns. The junior recorded a career day in the Tartans' 51-28 win over DePauw when he rushed for 116 yards and three scores.
The offensive line played a huge factor for Kalkstein, Kikta and Blanks. All five starting linemen were honored by the UAA with Cheek and Robinson heading the way on the first team. Joining the two of them are three-time honoree junior guard Jacob Krause (Waukesha, Wis./Catholic Memorial), along with senior center Bryan Connelly (Cleveland, Ohio/St. Ignatius) on the second team and junior tackle Alexander Copeland (Bowie, Md./Dematha Catholic) as an honorable mention selection. Carnegie Mellon put forth a balanced attack this season, averaging 200.4 yards passing and 184.0 yards rushing per game. On five occasions, the Tartans compiled 400 yards or more of total offense. Also contributing to the blocking upfront was junior tight end Bryce Pardoe (Muncy, Pa./East Lycoming) who was a second-team member. Besides his outstanding blocking ability, Pardoe was also a receiving threat, catching 11 passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, there were eight Tartans honored with Thompson leading the defense for the second straight season as a first-team honoree. Thompson led the team and was third in the UAA with 12 passes defended. The senior recorded one interception this season, giving him 10 for his career and ranking him fifth on the school's all-time list. On special teams, Thompson returned 20 punts for a total of 307 yards and two touchdowns on his way to a first-team selection. His 15.4 yards per return ranked him tops in the UAA and fifth in Division III. Against Wabash, Thompson recorded a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown, which set a school record and was the first Tartan punt return for a touchdown since 1999. Thompson added his second return for a score in the regular season finale at Case Western Reserve. This time the return was 56 yards.
Joining Thompson on the All-UAA team are senior cornerback Liam McGrath (Havertown, Pa./Haverford) and junior safety Jack Butler (Kennesaw, Ga./North Cobb), who received second-team honors. Butler was selected a year ago as a second-team member.
McGrath led the UAA with seven interceptions, which tied the school's single-season record set last season by Thompson and Andy Helms in 1991. The senior was ranked second in the UAA with 15 passes defended. Against Ohio Wesleyan, he returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown, marking the first score of his career. McGrath ended the season with 60 tackles, 46 solo. Butler was second on the team with 64 tackles while recording two interceptions, forcing two fumbles and recovering one.
Senior outside linebacker Nick Karabin (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) and junior defensive lineman Ryan Jok (Novi, Mich.) also received second-team honors. Karabin was fifth on the team in an injury-shortened season with 54 tackles. He also recovered two fumbles and forced one. Karabin ends his career tied for fourth on the Tartan all-time tackle list with 214 for his career. Jok ended the season with 33 tackles while five were for a loss. The junior recorded a career-high seven tackles against Chicago with two of them for a loss. He ended the season third on the team with five passes defended. This was Karabin's third UAA honor and Jok's second.
Junior inside linebackers Akwasi Brefo (Lawrenceville, Ga./Central Gwinette) and Eric Rolfes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Madeira), along with sophomore defensive lineman Dustin Schneider (Hampton, N.J./North Hunterdon), were three other Tartan defensive players named honorable mention. This is Rolfes' second time on the All-UAA squad. Brefo led the team and was second in the UAA with 103 tackles, including 13 tackles for a loss of 41 total yards. The junior recorded three forced fumbles, ranking first on the team and second in the UAA. Rolfes, who was limited by injuries, had 35 tackles, 21 solo. Schneider ended the season with 20 tackles, 3.5 for a loss of 12 yards and 1.5 sacks.