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University of Minnesota Athletics
Three To Play In 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl
1/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Cedric Thompson, Damien Wilson and Cameron Botticelli will participate in the 2015 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl at 3 p.m. CT on Jan. 17. The game will be held at StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and will be televised live on ESPN2. Live broadcasts from practices on Wednesday, Jan. 14 and Thursday, Jan. 15 will be televised on ESPNU.
In his senior campaign with the Gophers, Cedric Thompson excelled both on and off the field. The 6-0, 208-pound Thompson finished second on the team with 83 tackles and also notched 3.5 tackles-for-loss. Thompson also recorded two interceptions, forced two fumbles and broke up two passes as he captained the Gophers to a berth in the 2015 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl.
Thompson played in 46 career games for the Gophers and recorded 221 tackles, which included 5.5 tackles-for-loss. He hauled in five career interceptions, while forcing three fumbles and recovering two fumbles. Thompson played in three bowl games at Minnesota and set a Gopher record by recording 27 combined tackles in bowl games. He broke Bruce Holmes record of 22 set in the 1985 Independence Bowl and the 1986 Liberty Bowl.
The Business and Marketing Education major is a multiple time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and was Minnesota's Big Ten sportsmanship honoree. In previous seasons, he received the school's Richard "Pinky" McNamara Student-Athlete Achievement Award (given to an individual who has inspired all by making an extraordinary effort to succeed despite difficult circumstances, persevering during a time of tremendous adversity and/or overcoming a great challenge) and was one of five NCAA student-athletes to receive the Wilma Rudolph Student Athlete Achievement Award (honors student athletes who have overcome great personal, academic, and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics).
Wilson earned All-Big Ten First Team acclaim as a senior. He was named the Carl Eller Award winner as Minnesota's most outstanding defensive player, as well as the Gophers' Linebacker of the Year. The 6-2, 240-pound linebacker led the Gophers with 119 tackles and 10.5 tackles-for-loss. Wilson also tallied three pass breakups, one interception, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Wilson was the Gophers' first linebacker to make the All-Big Ten First Team since Bruce Holmes in 1986. He was the first Minnesota player to reach 100 tackles in three years.
Wilson, a 2013 transfer from Jones County Community College, made an immediate impact when he arrived in Minnesota and started 24 of his 26 career games. During his two-year Minnesota career, Wilson recorded 197 tackles. He made 16.0 stops for a loss, including 5.0 sacks. He played in two bowl games, notching 16 tackles in those contests.
Botticelli rose from walk-on status to a starting role during his Minnesota career. He received All-Big Ten honorable mention in 2014, starting every game on the defensive line and making 29 tackles. The 6-5, 290-pound Botticelli was second on the team with 9.0 tackles-for-loss. He was named the Gophers' Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Botticelli made 79 tackles, including 15.5 for a loss, in his four-year playing career. Three of his 4.5 career sacks came during his senior campaign. Botticelli played in 51 career games, including three bowls.
Off the field, Botticelli was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science and balanced football and master's coursework in Youth Development Leadership this fall.
