ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – University of Sioux Falls Football All-American offensive tackle Trey Pipkins, who was a finalist for the Gene Upshaw DII Lineman of the Year, has accepted an invitation and will participate in the 94^th annual East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, January 19 at Tropicana Field. The game will be televised live on the NFL Network.

During game week, scouts and personnel from all 32 NFL teams will be on-site to interview players. More than 100 of last year's players went to NFL training campus. In addition to training with active NFL coaches, players will work with NFL Legend captains. Pro Football Hall of Famers Will Shields and Aeneas Williams, three-time Pro Bowler Mark Brunell and three-time Super Bowl champion Willie McGinest will be team captains and will offer support and guidance.

"We are exceptionally proud of Trey (Pipkins)," said USF head football coach Jon Anderson of Pipkins, who was named to the D2 CCA All-Region First Team. "He was a team captain and leader of the football team. He is a special young man who contributed significantly to the success of our program. He was a mentor to our younger offensive linemen and helped them understand and appreciate the culture of our program and the family atmosphere that has been a staple of this program," he said.

A sports management graduate from Apple Valley, Minn., Pipkins led USF to a 7-4 record, including 5-2 in the South Division; a 37-11 record, an NSIC title in 2016, and top-10 rushing team in NCAA DII in two of his final three seasons. Pipkins, who finished third in the balloting for the Upshaw Award, is currently preparing for the NFL Draft in 2019. 

One of four team captains for USF, Pipkins has been named to the Senior Bowl Watch List and two preseason All-American Teams - D2Football.com and The Podyum. This season, Pipkins, a three time All-NSIC honoree, was named first team all-league for the first time. He has been the leader on one of the league's top offensive line units. In 2018, he graded at 91.7 percent (651 positive reps in 710 plays) with 90.5 knockdowns.

Pipkins, who had 234.5 knockdowns in 43 career starts, has allowed just one sack this year and two in his career.  An Academic All-NSIC performer in 2017, he has a 90 percent grade in 10-of-11 games with a season high of 96 percent vs Minot State and graded 94.5 percent against Wayne State, 92.4 percent vs No. 1 Minnesota State and 92.1 percent from Winona State, both road games.

For more than 90 years, some of football's greatest players and coaches have contributed to the tradition of the East-West Shrine Game which is the nation's first college all-star football game.

Created by the Shriners in 1925, the game is driven by the desire to support Shriners Hospitals for Children in its mission to help children in need of expert medical care. Participating players make an annual visit to the local Shriners Hospital, visiting children and staff in an experience of a lifetime.