A.J. Nastasi

Position:
Wide Receiver
Height:
5-10
Weight:
175
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Woodbury, Pa.
High School:
Northern Bedford HS

Tough-nosed receiver who is not afraid to catch the football in a crowd ... a good route runner who has the best hands on the team ... consistent player who does a good job downfield ... works hard every day ... called "Ol Surefingers" for his excellence as the WVU holder ... his athletic ability gives the Mountaineers an added dimension in that role as well ... sprained groin from the first scrimmage hampered his efforts the rest of the spring ... WVU's top pass catcher and ranked third among BIG EAST receivers (42) last season ... caught four passes for 33 yards at Boston College ... left the Ohio game with bruised ribs after a 10-yard reception ... eight catches for 66 yards in the win over Kent State ... gained 39 yards on five catches at Maryland ... 12-yard touchdown catch from Brad Lewis in third quarter of Notre Dame game ... seven catches for 45 yards in Syracuse game ... leading receiver against Temple with nine catches for 82 yards, including a 23-yard second-quarter TD from Marshall ... led team with six catches against Pitt for 44 yards, including a 10-yard TD from Rasheed Marshall ... Offensive Award: Boston College, Syracuse, Temple ... as a sophomore made some clutch catches ... played on all four special teams units ... five receptions for 87 yards with two key first down catches in the Temple win ... 51-yard reception against Notre Dame ... played mostly on special teams as a freshman ... did not see varsity action in 1998 ... rookie of the week: Tulsa ... acclaimed three-sport athlete at Northern Bedford High School ... considered among the top 50 football and basketball players in Pennsylvania as a senior ... first team all-state, all-county and all-conference at wide receiver ... Sports Fever Pennsylvania Fab 85 team ... USA Today honorable mention All-America ... Bedford County male Athlete of the Year ... selected to play in the Big 33 all-star game ... earned second team all-state honors as a junior ... ranked the 77th-best player in the East by Tom Lemming ... honorable mention all-region team by Prep Star ... as a basketball player averaged more than 40 points per game and set the Pennsylvania state career scoring record (3,833) previously held by former Washington Bullet and U.S. congressman Tom McMillen ... was recognized in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" for his scoring record ... earned first team all-state honors ... Pennsylvania Small School Basketball Player of the Year ... also played baseball ... was a two-year captain at Northern Bedford for his father Joe Nastasi ... older brother Joe was a three-year starter at Penn State at wide receiver ... son of Joe and Rena Nastasi ... one of three children ... born September 7, 1979 ... BIG EAST academic all-star team (1999-2000-01) ... an academic senior majoring in sport management ... Athletic Director's Academic Honor Roll ... recipient of the Louise L. Muffly endowed scholarship.