Feb. 3, 2009

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - Former Penn State quarterback Todd Blackledge has been selected to receive the University's prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award.

Blackledge is among eight chosen to receive the University's highest individual honor, as selected by the Penn State Board of Trustees. The recipients will be honored in a June 5 ceremony at the Nittany Lion Inn.

A college football analyst with ESPN/ABC, Blackledge, who led the Nittany Lions to the 1982 National Championship, was among seven recipients of the 2008 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.

Blackledge re-joined ESPN in 2006 after serving as the lead analyst for CBS Sports' coverage of college football for seven seasons. The seven-year NFL veteran recently completed his third season as the lead analyst for ESPN College Football Saturday Primetime, working with play-by-play commentator Mike Patrick and reporter Holly Rowe. Blackledge also contributes to College GameDay, College Football Live, SportsCenter and ESPN Radio.

Blackledge, who joined CBS in 1999, had previously worked as a studio and game analyst for ABC Sports (1994-98) and as a game analyst for ESPN (1997-98) on Thursday night telecasts. In addition, he called pre-season games for several NFL teams, including the Colts, Eagles and Browns.

A native of North Canton, Ohio, Blackledge began his career in television by working on the Emmy Award-winning, "Penn State Football Story," produced by Mind Over Media, a Pittsburgh-based production company.

Blackledge led Penn State to an 11-1 record and its first National Championship with a 27-23 victory over previously unbeaten Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. The Hoover High School product earned the Davey O'Brien Award as the nation's top quarterback in 1982, was sixth in balloting for the Heisman Trophy and concluded his collegiate career with 26 school records.

A three-year starter, Blackledge directed the Nittany Lions to a 29-4 record, including 13 comeback victories, from 1980-82, including two Fiesta Bowl wins and one Sugar Bowl victory. He still holds several Penn State records, including touchdown passes in a season (22) and career (42). His game passing yardage record (358 vs. Miami, 1981) stood for 16 years and still ranks as the fourth-best in school annals.

A first round draft choice of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs in 1983, Blackledge played in Kansas City for five seasons and with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1988-89 before embarking on his broadcasting career.

Blackledge earned a B.A. in Speech Communication in 1983, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a 3.80 grade point average A first team Academic All-American, he also was presented the Eric Walker Award, given to the Penn State senior who has most "enhanced the esteem and recognition of the University." In 1997, Blackledge was inducted into the prestigious Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

Blackledge serves on the Board of Visitors for Penn State's Center for Sports Journalism.

Joining Blackledge as recipients of the 2009 Distinguished Alumni Award are:

• David L. Heymann, assistant director-general, Health Security and Environment, and representative of the director-general for polio eradication of the World Health Organization, earned his bachelor's degree in science (1966) from the Eberly College of Science. He resides in Sauverny, France.

• Jeffrey B. Miller of Harrisburg, Pa., earned his master's in public administration (2001) from Penn State Harrisburg. Col. Miller retired as the commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police and is currently director of Strategic Security Programs of The National Football League.

• J. Bonnie Newman of North Hampton, N.H., earned her master's in higher education (1969) from the College of Education. She is executive dean (retired) of the John F. Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University.

• Ralph J. Papa is chairman of Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania, in Pittsburgh, Pa. He earned his bachelor's degree (1969) in social sciences from Penn State Harrisburg.

• Jigme Yoser Thinley is the Prime Minister of Bhutan. He was the first student from Bhutan to select Penn State to complete degree work, and earned his master's of public administration (1976) from the College of the Liberal Arts.

• Lt. Gen. George J. Trautman III, U.S. Marine Corps, is deputy commandant for Aviation, headquartered in Washington, D.C. He earned his bachelor's degree in biology (1974) from the Eberly College of Science.

• Xi Yao is the honorary (former) dean of the School of Electronics and Informatics Engineering, professor of the Department of Electrical Engineering, and director of the Electronic Materials Research Laboratory at Xian Jiaotong University, Xian, China. He earned his doctoral degree in solid state science (1982) from Penn State.