Junior Two Sport Star Is One Of Three Finalists

Tate On The Gridiron

Tate set the Notre Dame record for most receptions and receiving yards in a season, breaking Jeff Samardzija’s previous marks set in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Tate enters Saturday’s regular-season finale with 83 receptions for 1,295 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns. He has added touchdowns via punt return (one) and rushing (two) for 15 total touchdowns this season.

Tate has a .318 career batting average with 16 stolen bases and 51 runs scored in his first two seasons as an outfielder on the Irish baseball team.  54 of his 63 career starts came in 2009 when he batted .329.  His football feats have been featured this fall in Collegebaseball360.com’s Two Sport Reports.

The 5-11, 195-pounder from Hendersonville, Tenn., has registered five multi-touchdown games in 2009 and no player in the Football Bowl Subdivision has more 100-yard receiving games than Tate’s eight this year. His eight games with at least 100 yards receiving is tied for most in a season in school history and his 14 career games with at least 100 receiving yards is the most in Irish history.

Tate has 2,506 yards receiving at Notre Dame and needs 78 yards to break Samardzija’s career receiving yards record.

Tate On The Diamond

Tate’s 23 career touchdown receptions ranks second all-time at Notre Dame and his 147 career receptions ranks fourth on Notre Dame’s career list.  Samardzija is another former Fighting Irish baseball/football standout.  He is now a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs.

Among FBS receivers, Tate ranks second in total touchdowns, scoring and scoring per game. He is tied for third in touchdown receptions, ranks fourth in receiving yards and receiving yards per game. Tate stands eighth in total receptions, ninth in receptions per game and all-purpose yards and is 10th in yards per catch.

The Biletnikoff Award recipient will be named at the Home Depot/ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10, 2009 and will be honored at a dinner in Tallahassee, Fla., on Feb. 13, 2010.

(Release & Staff Report)