NickSeitze

Two-year starter at center … Has been named to the preseason watch list for the Dave Rimington Award, emblematic of the nation’s top player at his position … Emerged as one of the top centers in the Southeastern Conference last season … Adept at the shotgun snap … Excellent communicator who has a good grasp of making line calls … Has good athletic ability and has made gains in his upper-body strength … Played very well last season despite a persistent ankle injury … Has played in 33 games with 18 starts.

2002 (Junior): Started all 12 games at center … Earned frequent commendation from the coaching staff … His fine performance is enhanced by the fact that he played with a nagging ankle injury for most of the season … Totaled 63.5 knockdown blocks during the season … Had a personal best of 11 knockdowns in the win over Vanderbilt … Tied for the team lead in the Indiana game with 10 knockdowns … Also tied for the team lead with seven knockdowns in the upset of Arkansas … Blocked for Artose Pinner, the SEC rushing champion … As a team, Kentucky finished second in the SEC in scoring offense.

2001 (Sophomore): Played in 10 games, starting the last six games after Nolan DeVaughn was injured … His entry into the lineup coincided with UK’s offensive surge over the second half of the season … Coaching staff was complimentary of his performance.

2000 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all 11 games as a reserve defensive tackle … Made 11 tackles, including a season-high three stops at Louisville … Earned his first varsity letter.

1999 (Freshman): Redshirted.

High School: Athletic lineman who was a two-year starter at Judson HS in Converse, Tex., a perennial power in the highly competitive Class AAAAA ranks … Started at offensive tackle his junior season … Moved to defensive tackle as a senior, but injuries in the offensive line forced him to move to offensive guard … Made 13 tackles and used his tall frame and athleticism to break up three passes in his two games on defense … Judson went on to a 14-1 record and was state runner-up … Named first-team all-district and first-team All-San Antonio as a senior … Also named a San Antonio High School All-Star by Pizza Hut … Played in the Market Shrine Oil Bowl Football Classic, the Texas vs. Oklahoma high school all-star game … Coached by D. W. Rutledge, who notes that, “In addition to his size, Nick is an athlete who moves really well. He has very good feet and movement for a big man.” … Played high school football with current Wildcats Otis Grigsby and Ronnie Riley at Judson … Honor roll student who was an officer in his school’s chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Nick narrowed his schools to Kentucky, Texas A&M, Colorado, and Iowa before picking the Wildcats.

Personal: Full name is Nicholas Jay Seitze … Last name is pronounced “sites” … Born 10-8-80 in San Antonio … Son of Michael and Cindy Seitze … Nick’s uncle, Ricky Cobb, played football at Southwest Texas … Major nutrition and food science/hospitality management and tourism.

The Cats’ Cause: Participated in the mentor program, meeting with a youngster each week to encourage academic success and personal growth (1999-2000) … Visitor at Richmond Place Retirement Community (1999-2000) … Visited patients at the Veterans Hospital (1999-2000) … Participated in Youth Volunteer Day at UK Children’s Hospital (2000-01) … Participated in the Cat Tales reading program at area schools (2000-01) … Guest speaker at Lafayette HS (2002) … Participated in a fundraiser for the Family Care Center (2003).