Brandon Closner presented Blinka Family Scholarship
11/20/2010 4:07:00 AM | Football
The Blinka Family Scholarship is presented annually by former Sam Houston State All-America linebacker Stan Blinka to a deserving football player who exemplifies dedication and excellence on the playing field and in the classroom.
The scholarship is awarded in memory of Mr. Blinka's parents Edwin and Frances Blinka.
Closner, a kinesiology major with a 3.38 overall grade point average, earned All-Southland Conference second team honors this fall.
The Arlington, Tex., product ranked No. 2 in the Southland Conference in punt returns and No. 3 in the league in both kickoff returns and all-purpose yards. He also ranked among the top 25 players in NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision play in both average punt and kickoff return yardage.
Closner returned 33 punts for 380 yards for an average of 11.5 yards per game. He earned Southland Conference special teams "Player of the Week" honors after returning a punt for a touchdown in the Lamar victory.
The junior also returned 38 kickoffs for 981 yards for an average of 25.8 yards per return. His longest kickoff return of the year was a 64-yard gain.
He led the team in all-purpose yards with 1,391 yards gained on returns and pass receiving.
The junior has been the Bearkats' punt return specialist the past two seasons since transferring to the university from Blinn Junior College.
Stan Blinka was an All-American and All-Lone Star Conference linebacker for the Bearkats in 1975 through 1978. He later played in the NFL for the New York Jets.
