Career Honors & Awards

2024 (Junior)

Started all 14 games as an outside linebacker
Tallied 82 tackles with 22.5 TFLs, 12.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups
Ranked in the nation’s top 10 in both tackles for loss (seventh) and sacks (10th)
Forced opposing offenses to lose over 100 yards (113)
Recorded at least 1.0 TFL in all but three games
Made eight tackles to go along with 2.0 sacks, 2.5 TFLs and one fumble recovery during the win over Campbell (Sept. 14)
Earned CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts
Had 2.0 sacks for seven yards on the road at LIU (Sept. 21)
Racked up eight tackles against Brown (Oct. 12)
Sacked the No. 19/24 New Hampshire quarterback twice for 20 yards and had one pass breakup (Oct. 19)
Recovered a fumble and added seven tackles against Monmouth (Nov. 2)
Recorded 2.0 sacks for 16 yards against UAlbany to go along with seven tackles (Nov. 16)
Racked up seven tackles in the season finale at Mercer (Dec. 7)
His 12.5 sacks were the seventh-most in Rhody’s single-season history, as were his 22.5 TFLs
Ended the year second all-time in both URI career sacks (27) and TFLs (44.5)
Finished the year with a 21-game starting streak
Served as a game captain once and the anchor bearer twice

2023 (Sophomore)

Appeared in each of Rhode Island’s 11 games, earning the start in all but two
Finished 12th in the country during the regular season with 0.82 sacks per game
His 15.5 TFLs were good for 17th in the national standings
Made four solo tackles in the season opener at Georgia State (Aug. 31)
Recorded a 12-yard sack, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and five total tackles during the win over Stony Brook (Sept. 8)
Had 1.5 sacks for a loss of 12 yards as part of a six-tackle effort at Maine (Sept. 15)
Chipped in three tackles and combined for a TFL at No. 25 Villanova (Sept. 23)
Tallied a season-best nine tackles, three TFLs and two sacks during the win over Bryant (Sept. 30)
Made six tackles and recorded three TFLs, as well as a five-yard sack, during the win at Brown (Oct. 7)
Racked up eight tackles to go along with two TFLs and a sack during the game against Richmond (Oct. 14)
Also forced a fumble in the outing opposite the Spiders
Recorded his first career interception, which he returned for 28 yards, at UAlbany (Oct. 21)
Credited with seven tackles, three QB hurries and a six-yard sack in the win over No. 20 New Hampshire (Oct. 28)
Combined for a sack and had five total stops in the game against North Carolina A&T (Nov. 11)
Finished the year with three tackles and a three-yard sack at Towson (Nov. 18)

2022 (Freshman)

Appeared in all 11 games
Finished the season with 22 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and one blocked punt
Had three tackles and one tackle for loss against UAlbany (11/19)
Made one stop at New Hampshire (11/12)
Had two tackles against Maine (11/5)
Recorded three tackles at Monmouth (10/22)
Had one tackle and two quarterback hurries against Elon (10/15)
Made four stops against Brown (10/1)
Recorded one tackle at Pitt (9/24)
Had one tackle and one pass break up against Delaware (9/17)
Had six tackles and 3.5 sacks at Bryant, which earned him CAA Football Rookie of the Week honors. The 3.5 sacks tied for the second most in a game in program history (9/10)
Made his collegiate debut and had one quarterback hurry at Stony Brook (9/1)

A.J. Pena