Penn State football long snapper Blaise Sokach-Minnick was named to the Mannelly Award watch list, the team announced Monday.

The award is given to the best long snapper in the nation and is named after Patrick Mannelly, a long snapper who played at Duke and then the Chicago Bears from 1998 to 2013. The award benefits Bernie’s Book Bank, a non-profit organization located in Lake Bluff that supports child literacy initiatives.

Sokach-Minnick becomes the third Nittany Lion to be nominated since its inception in 2019, joining 2022 winner Chris Stoll and 2025 finalist Tyler Duzansky.

The redshirt senior has appeared in just two games in each of the past three seasons, but after three-year starter Duzansky declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, Sokach-Minnick appears primed for a breakout season on special teams.

About the Author

Cadyn Gill

Cadyn is a fourth-year broadcast journalism major at Penn State. Hailing from the great state of Texas, he is a die hard Dallas sports fan. You'll often see him voicing his opinions on music and sports on X/Twitter @cgill214. Contact him at cag6339@psu.edu.

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