On Monday, Iowa senior tight end Tony Moeaki was named a semifinalist for the 2009 John Mackey Award, which will be presented on Dec. 10 to the best tight end in college football.

The 6-4 tight end has started in eight of 11 games for the Hawkeyes this season. Entering No. 15 Iowa’s season finale against Minnesota on Saturday, the Wheaton, Ill., native has 26 catches for 302 yards receiving and four touchdowns — two of which came in the Hawkeyes’ 30-28 Homecoming win against Michigan on Oct. 10.

Moeaki is one of eight semifinalists for this year’s award. The others are Pittsburgh’s Dorin Dickenson, Oregon’s Ed Dickson, Florida’s Aaron Hernandez, USC’s Anthony McCoy, BYU’s Dennis Pitta, Notre Dame’s Kyle Rudolph, and Marshall’s Cody Slate.

If Moeaki were to win, he’d be the first Hawkeye tight end to receive the award since Dallas Clark in 2002.

— by Brendan Stiles