34 Niko Koutouvides

Class: Senior Hometown: Plainville, Conn. High School: Milford Academy Height / Weight: 6-3 / 241 Position: Linebacker

2002: Received team’s Hammer Award (outstanding hitter) for spring season … first team All-Big Ten by media and second team by coaches … Connecticut Player of the Year by the Walter Camp Football Foundation ... started all 13 games at middle linebacker after moving from strongside during spring … topped team with 121 tackles (80 solo, 41 assists), 11 1/2 tackles for loss and three interceptions (tied with Jacques Reeves) … ranked sixth in Big Ten with average of 9.3 tackles per game … second on team with eight pass breakups … tied for third with four sacks … reached double figures in tackles in six games (with nine in two additional contests) … came up with career-high two pass breakups vs. Illinois State on Aug. 31 … had 11 tackles (7 solo, 4 assists) at Notre Dame on Sept. 7 … finished with 13 tackles (9 solo, 4 assists) at Iowa on Oct. 5 … posted career-high 14 tackles (12 solo, 2 assists), including a sack, at Illinois on Oct. 12 … finished with 13 tackles (7 solo, 6 assists) and first career interception vs. Ohio State on Nov. 9 … equaled career high of two pass breakups and had an interception at Michigan State on Nov. 16 ... came up with interception vs. Washington in Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.

2001: Appeared in all 12 games, including six starts … tied for Big Ten lead with four fumble recoveries (also teammate Shaun Phillips and Ohio State’s Mike Doss) … tied for fifth in conference with three fumbles forced … tied for fifth on team with four pass breakups … ranked sixth with 63 tackles (37 solo, 26 assists), including five for loss … had four solo tackles vs. Akron on Sept. 22 … made first career start vs. Iowa on Oct. 6 and recorded four tackles (3 solo, 1 assist), a forced fumble and a pass breakup … recovered two fumbles at Michigan on Oct. 13 … finished with 11 tackles (6 solo, 5 assists), including two for loss, and recovered fumble at Ohio State on Nov. 10 … started last five games, including last four following injury to Gilbert Gardner … had six tackles (2 solo, 4 assists) and a forced fumble vs. Michigan State on Nov. 17 … received team’s Pop Doan Award for defense after totaling season-high 12 tackles (8 solo, 4 assists), including two for loss, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery at Indiana on Nov. 24 ... had team-leading 11 tackles (4 solo, 7 assists), including one for loss, vs. Washington State in Sun Bowl on Dec. 31.

2000: Began his Purdue career with the start of the 2000 spring semester … appeared in all 12 games as reserve and on special teams … had 11 tackles (6 solo, 5 assists), including one for loss, and one pass breakup … recorded season-high three tackles vs. Kent State on Sept. 9.

High School: Attended Milford Academy, a postgraduate school, and topped team in sacks and ranked second in tackles in 1999 … coach was Bill Chaplick … earned honorable mention all-state and all-conference honors at Plainville High School … team captain and Most Valuable Player.

Personal: Given name is Niko Stelios Koutouvides … born March 25, 1981 … organizational leadership and supervision major … enjoys fishing and playing all sports … older brother, Daki, is a senior defensive back at Merrimack College.