Bellore, Zombo Named to Lombardi Watch List

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan senior defensive end Frank Zombo and junior linebacker Nick Bellore have been named to the preseason watch list for the 2009 Lombardi Award.

The Lombardi Award is presented annually to college football’s top offensive or defensive lineman.

Twelve semifinalists will be announced on Oct. 14. Four finalists will be named on Nov. 11, with the 2009 Lombardi Award winner announced on Dec. 9 during a ceremony at the Hilton Americas in Houston.

Both Nick Bellore and Frank Zombo were All-Mid-American Conference first team selections in 2008. Bellore, of Whitefish Bay (Wisc.) High School, led the MAC and ranked fourth nationally in tackles, averaging 11.4 tackles per game. His 148 total stops tied for the third-highest single-season total in school history.

Zombo, of Sterling Heights (Mich.) Stevenson High School, led the MAC in tackles for loss (15.5) and ranked second in sacks (nine) in 2008. His 19 career sacks rank as the fourth-highest total in school history. Zombo is a two-time Academic All-MAC selection and two-time CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV honoree.

The Lombardi Award watch list includes 153 players from 79 teams nationwide. CMU was the only MAC program with multiple players on the watch list.