2023 Maxwell Award Watch List

Ball State Athletics (Dec. 10, 2023): Mucciolo Named to 247Sports Transfer All-America Team

Grad transfer became an instant staple on an already experienced Ball State offensive line in 2023 ... he earned Transfer All-America accolades last year and anchors an O-line unit with experience, despite its youth ... owns 38 starts in 39 career games including three years with FCS Sacred Heart (Fairfield, Conn.) ... last name pronounced MOO-chee-oh-luh.

2023 (Gr.): "Mooch" started each of 10 games he played, missing only the Indiana State and Georgia Southern games due to a lower leg injury ... he was never whistled for a penalty last season, and allowed no sacks or QB hits in 2023 ... among FBS offensive linemen with at least 100 snaps, he earned the country's fourth-highest blocking grade at 91.5 ... named as one of 11 top offensive transfers on 247Sports' 2023 Transfer All-America Team ... named among five offensive lineman on the Transfer All-America squad, joining Ajani Cornelius of Oregon, Matt Lee of Miami, Ladarius Henderson of Michigan and Luke Kandra of Cincinnati ... he was the only player chosen from the MAC and one of just four from Group of 5 conferences ... said 247Sports: "Offensive line might be the toughest position to recruit out of the transfer portal, as virtually every team could use an extra lineman or two. Ball State did a great job of identifying Mucciolo, who was a multi-year starter at the FCS level. Mucciolo started every game he played at left guard for the Cardinals, grading as an elite pass-blocker according to Pro Football Focus. He allowed just two pressures and no sacks in over 600 snaps. That type of consistency is downright impressive."

BEFORE BALL STATE: All-Northeast Conference second team at Sacred Heart as a senior after starting 11 games for the Pioneers ... played for head coach Mark Nofri ... started all 10 games at left tackle in 2021, helping the Pioneers to the league's top rushing mark (211.3 yards per game) and the nation's No. 11 run game ... played four games as a sophomore in 2020 ... appeared in four games in 2019.

HIGH SCHOOL: Helped Archbishop Stepinac to back-to-back New York State Catholic High School championships ... lettered two years under head coach Michael O'Donnell ... was named first team all-state as a senior, second team all-conference as a junior ... team captain as a senior, received Stepinac's lineman of the year award

PERSONAL: Son of Martina and Ronald Mucciolo ... graduate student will pursue a finance MBA at Ball State .... after school, hopes to return to NYC as a financial investor or financial analyst .

Mnay Recruiting services are saying if Mooch has a good year he has a shot of making it to the NFL.