One of the FCS’s top defensive linemen and Robert Morris’s active career leader in tackles and sacks, Nolan Nearhoof has defined excellence on and off the field for the Colonials en route to becoming the school’s first-ever NFF National Scholar-Athlete.
Twice named the Northeast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Nearhoof has made the Dean’s List every semester of his college career. The Mars, Pa., native was named a Second Team Academic All-American as a sophomore and junior and is on pace to for national recognition once again in 2012. Considered by his athletics director Craig Coleman to be a “top-flight student in the demanding field of biology,” Nearhoof plans on attending physical therapy school in the future.
Earlier this season, Nearhoof broke the school career sacks record with 21.5 and counting, while tied for the conference lead with 6.5 sacks this season. A two-time First Team All-NEC performer in 2010 and 2011, he is RMU’s career active leader in tackles (175), and his 7.5 sacks in 2011 place him in a tie for fourth best in single-season school history. Nearhoof has recorded 49 tackles and leads the Colonials in sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (6.5) this season.
Nearhoof has volunteered with the Sacred Heart Soup Kitchen, the Boy Scouts of America, the Special Olympics, and the Holy Family Institute. He has helped with highway clean-up efforts in the Pittsburgh area and has served as a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Nearhoof is also active with the STEM committee, which is comprised of a select group of science, engineering and technology students.
Nearhoof is currently an associate quality technologist for HJ Heinz, the third-largest food and beverage company in North America. He is also pursuing his master's in food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois.
