Northwestern University Athletics

Tommy Carnifax early enroll

Carnifax Signs With Northwestern, Will Enroll In January

9/29/2015 1:06:00 PM | Football

EVANSTON, Ill. – Tommy Carnifax (Warren, Ohio/Howland H.S.) has signed a Big Ten Tender of Financial Aid with Northwestern University and will enroll for the winter academic quarter in January 2016. The defensive end will be eligible to participate in the Wildcats spring practice season.

"We're thrilled to add a young man of Tommy's caliber to our program," said Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald. "He has distinguished himself on and off the football field and made a decision to pursue the best education in college football while competing at the highest level. We owe a sincere thank you to head coach Dominick Menendez and the Howland High School administration for their assistance throughout this process. Tommy is the first member of an exciting recruiting class that we look forward to introducing in full on National Signing Day."
 
Listed at 6'5 and 245 lbs, Carnifax is rated as the No. 22 player in the state of Ohio and the No. 33 strong-side defensive end in the 2016 recruiting class according to Rivals, and is a consensus three-star prospect. He piled up 57 tackles, 5.0 sacks and 16.0 tackles-for-loss as a junior in 2014 and also lined up as a tight end on the offensive side of the ball. The Warren, Ohio, product hails from the same hometown and high school as former Wildcats standout Tyler Scott.

"I love the coaching staff, and they're all great guys," Carnifax said at the time of his verbal pledge to the Wildcats. "When you add in the academic part of things, it just can't be topped by any other school. I was heavily influenced by the Northwestern academic reputation, and that played a big part in my decision. I visited a lot of schools before making this decision, and I know it's the right one."

Per NCAA compliance rules, early enrollees are permitted to sign financial aid agreements and join the college program of their choice provided they have completed the requirements necessary to graduate early from high school.
 
The remainder of Northwestern's 2016 freshman class will be announced on college football's National Signing Day on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
 
 
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