Peru State College Athletic Media Release
For Immediate Release Contact:
Dave Walker
Sports Information Director
402.872.2344 or
dwalker@oakmail.peru.edu
Jake Mertens Signs with
Bobcats
(PERU, NE)
Hastings St. Cecelia football standout Jake Mertens
has signed an NAIA Letter of Intent to attend Peru
State College where he will continue his career with
head coach Terry Clark and the Bobcats. Mertens, the
son of Pat and Cathy Mertens of Hastings, continues
a family trend of attending PSC. Both of Jake's
parents graduated from Peru State and are very
active members in the Peru State Football Booster
Club.
While attending Peru State, Pat Mertens was and
Academic All-American and is still one of the all
time leading tacklers for the Bobcats. Jake also
follows two older brothers, A.J. and Mike, who had
very successful careers at Peru State and were
instrumental in the rebuilding of the football
program under Coach Clark. Mike ended his career
after the 2007 season as the second all time leading
rusher in Peru State History. He was also a nominee
for the NAIA Player of the Year Award.
Jake (6'3 205#) has excellent speed and is an
exceptional athlete. He was clocked electronically
at 4.5 in the 40 yard dash at the Nebraska football
camp last summer. Mertens has competed at the
Nebraska State Track meet for three consecutive
years and last fall Mertens was named All-Conference
as well as All-State Honorable Mention for his
skills on the gridiron.
Bobcats head coach Terry Clark stated, "Jake is an
impact player that can score from anywhere on the
field. He will get reps at both safety and wide
receiver and will be a return man for us. Jake and
the other members of the 2008 recruiting class will
join a very experienced group of returning players
in the fall."
PSC's
"Campus of a Thousand Oaks," an arboretum campus, is
nestled in historic southeast Nebraska. The state's
first and fastest-growing college, Peru State offers
a unique mix of innovative online and traditional
classroom undergraduate and graduate programs,
including online graduate degrees in education and
organizational management. PSC is a member
institution of the Nebraska State College System.
For more information, visit
www.peru.edu or call
1-800-742-4412.
