Pittsburgh (Pa.) Penn Hills four-star cornerback Cullen Christian was selected to play in the 2010 U.S. Army All-American Bowl at a ceremony held at his high school on Thursday.
The Michigan commit was elated by this latest honor.
"This is the greatest honor I could get," Christian said. "I am the first Penn Hills player to be picked for this game."
“Cullen is a talented athlete whose exemplary displays of leadership and teamwork have made him a standout at Penn Hills High School,” said Col. Derik Crotts, Deputy Chief of Staff, G7, U.S. Army Accessions Command. “The qualities necessary to succeed on the football field, strength, dedication, leadership and teamwork, are the same qualities mirrored in Army Strong Soldiers. We are proud to honor all of our U.S. Army All-American Bowl players and congratulate them on their selection.”
Christian was selected by the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Committee, which consists of SportsLink’s network of regional directors throughout the country, Rivals.com and Tom Lemming. U.S. Army All-American players are eligible for the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award, the Pete Dawkins MVP Award, the Walter Payton Trophy, honoring the student-athlete that best represents Payton’s athleticism, hard work and ideals; and the Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard U.S. Army Awards which recognize the two players who best epitomize the Army’s high standard of excellence in community service, education and athletic distinction.
As a result of Cullen Christian being selected to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, his head coach Ron Gram is invited to travel to San Antonio and attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, an elite two-day learning experience featuring NFL and NCAA coaches, as well as participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game-week activities.
For 10 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been the nation’s premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars. Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, and Terrelle Pryor all made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans. Last year the U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew more than 32,000 fans to the game at the Alamodome along with being the most watched sporting event on television over the weekend, besides the NFL Playoffs. Last spring, eight alumni of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Those selected will play in the 10th Anniversary game on Saturday, January 9, 2010, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The annual classic East vs. West match-up will be televised live on NBC at 1:00 PM EST and will feature the nation’s top 90 high school football players.