SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Rock senior offensvie tackle Mike Butterworth has accepted an invitation to play in the Cactus Bowl for Division II Universities all-star game Jan. 11, 2008, in Kingsville, Texas.
Butterworth, a 6-foot-7, 330-pound native of Northern Cambria and graduate of Northern Cambria High School, will be a member of the East squad.
He will be the 14th Rock student-athlete to play in the all-star game since its inception in 1994 (see list below). The Cactus Bowl game was not played in 2006 due to problems securing a sponsor.
Butterworth is "on the radar screen" of virtually every NFL team. He earned 2007 preseason All-America honors from D2Football.com and Don Hansen's Football Gazette and was a 2006 preseason All-America selection by the Football Gazette. He also earned 2006 second-team All-Northeast Region honors from the Football Gazette, D2Football.com and Daktronics Inc.
A three-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division first-team selection, he also earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team honors in both 2006 and 2007. In addition, he was a recipient of a 2006 PSAC “Fall Top Ten Award” winner for the combination of athletic and academic prowess and has an excellent chance to duplicate that honor this year.
On the field this fall, Butterworth was the foundation of The Rock offensive line that paved the way to SRU leading the PSAC in rushing (262.3 yards per game) and total offense (463.5 ypg) this fall. The Rock offense ranked 10th nationally in rushing offense and 18th nationally in total offense.
Behind his lead, the offensive line opened holes for three running backs to finish in the top 10 in the PSAC in rushing, led by Manfull (#2 at 139.8 ypg), and provided protection for senior quarterback Nate Crookshank to finish third in the PSAC in pass efficiency.
The Rock line allowed the lowest number of QB sacks in the 13-team PSAC with 12 in 11 games and was a key ingredient in the 2007 team recording the highest win total (9-2 final record) at SRU since 1999.
Butterworth joins an elite list of Rock players who have earned berths in the Cactus Bowl (2002-05) or its predecessor, the Snow Bowl in Fargo, N.D. (1994-2001).
Previous all-star participants included:
2005: Robert Minnie, defensive lineman
2004: Brian Godfrey, defensive lineman
2003: Bill Ricks, offensive center
2002: Dorrian Glenn, running back
2001: Randy McKavish, quarterback
2001: Brian Minehart, offensive center
2000: Brian Polk, defensive back
1998: Matt Kinsinger, defensive lineman
1998: Bret Geishauser, defensive back
1997: Matt Maritz, offensive lineman
1995: LaMonte Coleman, running back
1995: Greg Hopkins, wide receiver
1994: Pete Geis, offensive lineman
