Football | November 15, 2019
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan has a trio of seniors invited to play in the 95th East-West Shrine Bowl, according to an announcement Friday by the organization. Running back
LeVante Bellamy, center
Luke Juriga and tight end
Giovanni Ricci have been extended invitations.
The contest will kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, January 18, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will be televised live by the NFL Network. The game has been a launching pad for numerous NFL careers as 77 NFL Hall of Famers have played in the East-West Shrine Bowl, in addition to more than 300 East-West Shrine Bowl alumni currently on NFL rosters.
Bellamy, the nation's leader in rushing touchdowns (21), total points (126) and total touchdowns (21), has rushed for 1,284 yards on 227 attempts, good for 5.7 yards per carry. The Indianapolis, Ind., product is averaging 116.7 ground yards per game, the ninth-highest mark in the nation this fall. Bellamy also ranks second nationally in rushes of 30 or more yards with 10 and rushes of 40 or more yards with six.
Bellamy's 21 rushing scores in 2019 are the second most in a single season in program history. The eighth 3,000-yard rusher in WMU history, Bellamy has moved up to fifth in program history with 3,532 yards and is fourth in career rushing touchdowns with 33.
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Juriga has started 50 consecutive games, every game of his career and tied for the longest streak in the country. This fall, he shifted from right guard to center and has been the bedrock of the offensive line. He is helping the WMU offense rank sixth nationally in first downs (254), 14th in third-down conversion percentage (.484), 21st in rushing offense (217.2 yards per game), 23rd in scoring (36.0 points per game), 24th in total offense (467.2 yards per game) and 24th in sacks allowed (1.36 per game).
A native of Aurora, Ill., Juriga is a two-time All-Mid-American Conference selection and a two-time Academic All-MAC honoree. Juriga has also been a MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete in each of the last two years.
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Ricci, with two touchdown receptions at Ohio on Tuesday, moved into a tie with SMU's Kylen Granson for the national lead among tight ends in TD grabs this fall with eight. Ricci owns 45 catches for 611 yards (13.6 yards/reception) and is averaging 55.6 yards per game.
Among all receivers, the Loveland, Ohio, product is tied for 17th in TD grabs. His team-high receiving yards are the second most in the MAC and stand 72nd nationally. Within the MAC, Ricci is tied for second in third-down receptions (15) and second in catches resulting in a first down (29).
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Western Michigan's last Shrine Bowl attendee was quarterback
Zach Terrell in 2017.
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