March 13, 2006

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Navy junior linebacker Rob Caldwell (St. John, Ind.) has been selected as a candidate for the 2006 Lott Trophy, which is given to the Defensive IMPACT Player of the Year, by the Pacific Club Impact Foundation.

This national trophy, named after former NFL great Ronnie Lott, is unique as it is the only college football award that recognizes the personal character and leadership qualities of each candidate as well as their on-field football performance. The award is called the IMPACT Player of the Year as the candidate must incorporate key character qualities: Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity.

Caldwell is coming off a spectacular junior campaign, leading the Mids with 140 tackles, the most by a Navy player since Javier Zuluaga recorded 144 in 1993 and the seventh most in school history.

Caldwell ranked 10th in the country in tackles per game (11.67) in 2005 and is the second leading returning tackler in the nation, behind Patrick Willis of Mississippi (12.80). Caldwell, who was a First-Team All-East selection, was one of just 13 players nationally to record 20 or more tackles in a game last year, recording 21 in Navy's thrilling win over Air Force.