BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - San José State football alum Frank Ginda was named 2023 USFL Defensive Player of the Year, announced by the league on Wednesday. Ginda played linebacker for the Spartans from 2015-17 and is No. 9 all-time in SJSU history with 352 career tackles and No. 10 in tackles for loss with 29.0. He led the USFL in 2023 with 104 tackles, five pass deflections, three interceptions and three tackle for losses with the Michigan Panthers. The Los Banos, Calif. native also was named USFL Defensive Player of the Week a league record four times this past season while leading the Panthers to the playoffs.
Ginda has played in the preseason for the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints of the NFL and also played in the XFL with the New York Guardians and AAF with the San Diego Fleet. He was one of eight SJSU alums to play in the USFL this past season.
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Frank Ginda, LB, Los Banos, Calif./Pacheco HS
- 38 games played and 35 starting calls
- No. 9 on the San José State career list for tackles with 352
- Tied for No. 10 on the university's career list for tackles for loss at 29.0
- 17 games played with 10 or more tackles
- Single-game career-high 19 tackles vs. Fresno State (10/7/17)
- Three-time Academic All-Mountain West award recipient
- First Spartan linebacker to earn CoSIDA Academic All-District recognition
- First-team All-Mountain West selection (2017)
- National leader in tackles per game at 13.3 (2017)
- Set a Mountain West single-season record with 173 total tackles (2017)
The Spartans open training camp at the end of July.
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