June 22, 2005

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern senior linebacker Tim McGarigle (Chicago, Ill./Saint Patrick) is one of 50 players nationally who has been named to the preseason watch list for the 11th annual Chuck Bednarik Award for the Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year. He is one of 10 Big Ten defensive standouts on the preseason list.

Players selected to the initial list have distinguished themselves as All-Conference or All-American selections from their respective universities in past years.

McGarigle was a first-team All-Big Ten selection (media) in 2004 when he led the nation in solo tackles (8.5) per game. He ranked third nationally in total tackles (151). His 151 stops is the seventh best single-season tackle total in Wildcat history.

Last season, McGarigle garnered Walter Camp Foundation and Bronko Nagurski National Division I-A Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 31 for his career-best 21-tackle effort in a 13-10 win over Purdue.

Ten semifinalists for the Bednarik Award will be announced in October 2005 and the field will be trimmed to three finalists in November 2005. The winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show that will be broadcast on ESPN in December 2005.