Penn State's Lee, Shipley named to ESPN's All-Bowl team

-Courtesy of Penn State University

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., January 11, 2008 — Juniors Sean Lee and A.Q. Shipley have been selected to ESPN.com’s All-Bowl Team for their outstanding efforts in helping Penn State earn its third consecutive bowl win and 26th overall.

The pair of Pittsburgh-area standouts were instrumental in the Nittany Lions’ 24-17 victory over Texas A&M in the Valero Alamo Bowl in San Antonio. Penn State (9-4) finished No. 25 in the final USA Today Coaches poll, earning its 33rd Top 25 ranking under Coach Joe Paterno.

Penn State was one of just five schools that placed multiple players on the ESPN.com All-Bowl Team, being joined by LSU, Oregon, Purdue and West Virginia.

A linebacker, Lee recorded a game-high 14 tackles against the Aggies, tying the Alamo Bowl record, to earn Defensive MVP honors. The effort was the 10th double-figure tackle game of the season for the All-Big Ten selection, who finished the year with 138 tackles, the fifth-best single season mark in Penn State history. A 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honoree, Lee was second in the Big Ten in tackles this year, trailing only All-America teammate Dan Connor’s 145. A 2008 candidate for the Butkus, Bednarik, Rotary Lombardi and Nagurski awards, Lee was a first team all-state selection at Upper St. Clair High School.

A center, Shipley led the Nittany Lions’ offensive line, which paved the way for a season-high 270 rushing yards against the Aggies. The Coraopolis native anchored the highly-productive unit, which was instrumental in Penn State gaining 413 yards and not permitting quarterback Anthony Morelli to be sacked. Shipley, a 2007 first team All-Big Ten choice, and the O-Line opened lanes for Alamo Bowl Offensive MVP Rodney Kinlaw (143 yards), tailback Evan Royster (65 yards, 1 TD) and reserve signal-caller Daryll Clark (50 yards, 1 TD). The Nittany Lions averaged a season-best 6.6 yards on their 41 rushing attempts. A 2008 Rimington Award candidate, Shipley was a standout at Moon Area High School.