Football Places 14 on All-PAC Team

(GREENVILLE, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team had 14 members earn All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) distinction, announced by the conference office following voting by the league coaches on Tuesday. The Tartans place five on the first team and one on the second team while seven were tabbed honorable mention with one named to the sportsmanship team.

Three of the five Tartans named to the first team are on the defensive side of the ball with the offense and special teams each having one honored. The three defensive players were all seniors, defensive lineman Michael Lohmeier (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central), linebacker Quinn Gaughan (Elmhurst, Ill./York Community) and defensive back Thomas Polutchko (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional). The three were joined by junior offensive lineman Sean Pogorelc (Centreville, Va./Chantilly) and sophomore placekicker Brandon Nguyen (Maitland, Fla./Lake Highland Preparatory) on the first team. The Tartans lone second team honoree was graduate student Long Tran (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township).

Lohmeier leads the PAC with 18.5 tackles for a loss and is tied for the team lead and ranks fourth in the PAC with 9.0 sacks. He ranks 19th nationally in tackles for a loss and is 31st in sacks. Lohmeier is fourth on the team with 52 total tackles, has forced two fumbles and recovered another this season. He currently ranks fourth all-time in program history with 20.0 sacks.

Gaughan is the Tartans top tackler with 83 total stops, including 48 solo. The senior linebacker is fourth on the team with 10.5 tackles for a loss while 3.0 of those have gone for sacks. He has forced three fumbles, recovered another and recorded an interception this year. In the Tartans win over Washington and Jefferson College, Gaughan recorded a career-high 17 stops (nine solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, posted an interception and recovered a fumble.

Polutchko ranks second on the team with 66 tackles and 38 solo stops. He ranks fifth in the PAC with 10 passes defended. Polutchko has recorded two interceptions, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

Pogorelc is a two-year starter and played a factor in helping the offense reach the 513-yard mark against Thiel. Pogorelc also had a part in the kicking game this season as the Cardinal and Gray's long snapper.

Nguyen is the team's leading scorer with 52 points, which ranks top in the PAC among kickers and eighth best overall. The placekicker converted 22-of-26 point-after-attempts and was 10-of-12 on field goals with a career-long of 49 yards coming in the Tartans' win over Case Western Reserve.

Tran, is tied for second on the team with 11.0 tackles for a loss and is third with 8.5 sacks. Tran ranks sixth in the PAC and 41st nationally in sacks. He finished the regular season with 32 tackles, 21 solo, ranking fifth on the team in solo stops and seventh in total tackles.

The Tartans Honorable Mention Honorees:

Offense:
Senior running back Chris Haas
Sophomore wide receiver Kris Hughes
Junior offensive lineman Bram Miller

Defense:
Junior defensive lineman Skyler Blacker
Junior defensive lineman Sam Brod
Junior linebacker Mason Tolliver

Defense:
Junior returner Sean Cooke

The Tartans Sportsmanship Honoree:

Senior defensive lineman Michael Lohmeier