Nov. 3, 2009
Six Penguins Named to Valley Football Silver Anniversary Team
St. Louis, Mo. -- The Youngstown State football team had six players selected to the Missouri Valley Football Conference's Silver Anniversary Team, which was announced on Tuesday. A total of 67 standouts were named the squad, which was selected through fan voting and by a committee. Nearly 2,500 votes were cast on-line from July to mid-October. This year the conference is celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2009.
The Penguins who were named to the team were defensive back Dwyte Smiley (1997-99), linebacker James Terry (2004-07), defensive tackle Harry Deligianis (1997), offensive lineman Brad Samsa (2005-08), tailback P.J. Mays (2000-02) and current defensive tackle Mychal Savage.
Smiley was a three-time first-team all-conference selection and was a two-time All-American, earning second-team honors in 1997 and honorable-mention accolades in 1999.
Terry was a three-time first-team selection and as a senior in 2007 was an honorable-mention All-America selection.
Samsa was a three-time first-team all-conference selection and earned second-team All-America honors in 2007 and first-team accolades in 2008.
Mays was a two-time all-conference pick and was selected as the Gateway's Offensive Player of the Year in 2001. He ranks 10th in the league in career rushing yardage (3,476) and seventh in touchdowns (42) despite playing just three seasons.
Deligianis was the Conference's Defensive Player of the Year in 1997, YSU's first in the league. He was also a first-team All-America pick in 1997.
Savage played from 2005-07 before redshirting in 2008 after suffering a season-ending injury in the season opener at Ohio State. He and South Dakota State's Danny Batten are the only two active members to be selected to the team. Savage has been a two-time first-team all-conference selection and was third-team All-America pick in 2007.
Youngstown State joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 1997.
UNI, Illinois State, Missouri State and Western Illinois have been members of the conference for all 25 years. Former members include Eastern Illinois and Western Kentucky.
The Panthers had a league-high 19 players named to the team, including Offensive MVP Kurt Warner. The Fighting Leathernecks were second with 16, including Defensive MVP Rodney Harrison.