University of Massachusets Athletics
Nick Speller To Take Part In East-West Shrine Game
January 08, 2013 | Football
Jan. 8, 2013
AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts offensive lineman Nick Speller will take part in the 88th Annual East-West Shrine Game which will be held on Saturday, January 19 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. This marks the second straight season UMass has placed a player in the nation's longest running all-star game after Emil Igwenagu took part in the event last season.
The game will be broadcast on the NFL network beginning at 4 PM. Along with the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combines, the game serves as a way for players to showcase their talents in front of GMs, coaches and scouts from all 32 NFL franchises.
It also serves as a benefit for the Shriners Hospitals for Children which is a health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to improving the lives of children by providing pediatric specialty care regardless of the families' ability to pay.
Speller was a three-year starter at UMass after transferring following his 2009 redshirt freshman season at Syracuse. He started all 31 games he played in as a Minuteman missing just three during his career.
In 2012 the native of Baltimore, Md., helped pave the way for 1,000 yard rusher Jonathan Hernandez, while in 2011 he helped nearly two different players hit 1,000 yards as Hernandez and John Griffin each finished just shy of the mark.
As a redshirt junior, Speller earned All-CAA Third Team honors, while as a redshirt senior he earned preseason and mid-season All-MAC honors by Phil Steele. Prior to transferring to UMass, he was a Phil Steele BIG EAST All-Freshman Third Team honoree.
Tickets to the East-West Shrine Game are $15 and can be purchased online through Ticket Master or on game day at Tropicana Field. For complete information including team rosters, visit www.shrinegame.com
