Alumni Update - Nolan Nearhoff (Robert Morris)

Robert Morris senior defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof earned his third consecutive Capital One Academic All-District First Team honor in football.

As a result of his first-team selection, Nearhoof, a Mars High School graduate, will now advance to the Academic All-America ballot.

Nearhoof has started every game at defensive end in 2012 and tallied a career-high 68 tackles along with leading the team in both tackles for loss (10.0) and sacks (7.5). Nearhoof is tied for the Northeast Conference lead in sacks per game and is tied for 13th nationally in the FCS.

He tied his career high with three sacks Oct. 13 at Bryant and also has 10 quarterback hurries. Nearhoof has totaled 11 tackles in two of the past three weeks and made at least one tackle for loss in each of the past four contests.

Nearhoof has competed in 38 career games, including 31 starting assignments. With his performance at Bryant earlier this season, Nearhoof became the Colonials’ all-time leader in sacks and currently has 23.5.

He also ranks sixth all-time at RMU in career tackles for loss with 33. Nearhoof has 205 career tackles, tops among all active Colonials, and has tallied six pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Nearhoof, who owns a 3.74 grade point average as a biology major, is a two-time Academic All-American and also claimed the NEC’s Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for both the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Additionally, Nearhoof was recently selected as one of 15 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athletes, and the only one from the FCS.

As a result, he was granted an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship and is a finalist for the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy that recognizes an individual as the best scholar-athlete in the nation.

(photo courtesy of Robert Morris University)