#54 Matt Stankiewitch
Center
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Team: Penn State
Class: Senior
Ht/Wt: 6'3"/299
Hometown: Orwigsburg, Pa./Blue Mountain |
Serving as a key reserve and spot starter on the offensive line during his initial two seasons in Happy
Valley, Matt Stankiewitch is prepared to take a significant role in 2011. Putting in endless hours honing
his skills, the talented redshirt junior emerged atop the depth chart at the center position following a
strong spring. He brings good skills, size and strength and determination to the field. Experienced at
both guard and center, the former Blue Mountain HS standout started a pair of games in 2009 at guard.
He appeared in each of the first six contests last season before being sidelined by an illness.
Stankiewitch earned a 3.62 grade-point average during the 2011 spring semester and brought a 3.35
GPA into the summer. He should be a potential Academic All-America and Academic All-Big Ten
candidate and is on schedule to receive his degree in December. Stankiewitch is among 30 returning
Nittany Lions from Eastern and Central Pennsylvania.
2010 Junior Season
Stankiewitch played in each of the first six games, but was sidelined by illness the remainder of the
season. He saw action on a season-high 24 snaps against Illinois and was on the field for 17 plays each
against Youngstown State and Kent State.
2009 Sophomore Season
The starting left guard against Akron and Syracuse, Stankiewitch saw action in every game on offense
and special teams. He helped Penn State gain 515 yards, its second-highest total of the season, in the
31-7 win over the Zips. Stankiewitch saw action on 205 snaps, led by 59 against Akron.
2008 Freshman Season
Redshirt season.
High School
A three-year starter for Coach Chuck Kutz at Blue Mountain HS, Stankiewitch was an Associated Press
first-team all-state selection in 2007. The two-way lineman recorded 60 tackles during his senior year
and was instrumental in helping his team win the District XI AAA Championship in 2007. ESPN.com
ranked him as the No. 5 center in the nation, and he was ranked as the No. 6 center by Rivals.com and
the No. 8 guard in the nation by Scout.com. Stankiewitch was an All-America ESPN Under Armour High
School Bowl selection and also played in the Big 33 Classic. Stankiewitch was named the Berks Inter-
County League Offensive Lineman-of-the-Year, the Reading Eagle All-Anthracite Defensive Player-of-
the-Year and to the WNEP-TV Super 16 Dream Team. He was first-team all-conference on offense and
defense and was a two-time first-team all-region pick by the Pottsville Republican. He earned second-
team all-state honors as a junior. He also played basketball for one year. Stankiewitch was a member of
the National Honor Society and the Social Studies Honor Society and was a Blue Mountain Scholar-
Athlete.
Personal
Full name is Matthew Edward Stankiewitch. His parents are Michael and Lisa Stankiewitch. His older
brother, Michael, played basketball at Penn State's Schuylkill campus. Stankiewitch enjoys weightlifting,
movies and video games. He is a management major in the Smeal College of Business and owned a 3.35
cumulative grade-point average after the spring semester. He made the Dean's List with a 3.62 GPA
during the 2011 spring semester and is on schedule to graduate in December. Born February 8, 1990 in
Pottsville, Pa. |
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