Football Announces 2020 Captains

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Head Coach Rich Lackner of the Carnegie Mellon University football team has announced the captains for the 2020 season. The four rising seniors, running back Luke Bikulege (Greer, S.C./St. Joseph's Catholic), offensive linemen Bram Miller (Colgate, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran), inside linebacker Mason Tolliver (Sylmar, Calif./Crespi) and outside linebacker Danny Zahniser (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown East) were voted captains by the Tartan football program.

"My coaches and I are thrilled with the selection of Luke, Bram, Mason and Danny as captains for the 2020 Carnegie Mellon Football Team," said Lackner. "These young men have played major roles in our success over the past several seasons. They are disciplined, focused, unselfish, hard-working young men who are incredible mentors to our younger players. I am confident that they will continue the great tradition of leadership that our former captains have provided to the Tartan football squad!"

Bikulege is a finance major in the Tepper School of Business and was named CoSIDA Academic All-District this past season. He led the team with seven rushing touchdowns in 2019 and was second on the team in 2019 with 406 yards on 89 carries for an average of 4.6 yards per carry, which ranked sixth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). Bikulege also caught 11 passes for 46 yards. In the Tartans win over Waynesburg, he rushed for a career-best 93 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns.

Miller is a mechanical engineering major and participates in three sport seasons, including indoor and outdoor track and field. In 2018 and 2019 he garnered All-PAC honorable mention accolades while playing a key role in heading the front for the Tartans rushing attack. Miller is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree in football and track and field.

Tolliver, a business administration major, has appeared in all 32 games in his career and was named honorable mention All-PAC in 2019. He led the Tartans with 41 assisted tackles last season and was third with 68 total tackles. In the Tartans Academic Bowl victory over 20th-ranked Case Western Reserve University, he totaled a career-high 14 tackles.

Zahniser is a chemical engineering major and finished the 2019 season ranked fifth on the Tartans with 42 total tackles and recorded two tackles for a loss including his first career sack at Geneva. He was named CoSIDA Academic All-District this past season.

Carnegie Mellon is scheduled to open its 2020 season on Saturday, September 5 hosting MIT on the turf at Gesling Stadium. Kick is set for 1:00 p.m.