UAlbany & New York Giants Announce Capital District Scholarship Winner and Blood Drive

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Joe Grassia is the recipient of the Capital District Student Scholarship, sponsored by New York Giants Football, Inc. and the University at Albany, as Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy announced on Tuesday, July 24. Grassia will be recognized as part of a welcome program at Giants Media Day on Thursday, July 26.

The Giants Media Day program is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. under a tent on the UAlbany campus’ Dutch Quad Field. Giants head coach Tom Coughlin will offer welcome remarks.

Grassia, who will attend UAlbany in the fall and play football for head coach Bob Ford, was twice selected Class A third-team all-state by the New York State Sportswriters Association as a linebacker and defensive end at Mohonasen High School. He was chosen first-team All-Area by the Daily Gazette when he accounted for 75 tackles and three sacks as a senior. A native of Schenectady, N.Y., Grassia also rushed for 350 yards and five touchdowns as a fullback. He was named first-team All-Area by the Albany Times Union as a junior.

Grassia plans to study business administration and play inside linebacker for the Great Danes. His parents are Paul and Patty Grassia. He has one sister, Elvira, and one brother, Paul.

The Capital District Student Scholarship provides Grassia with a monetary award equivalent to the tuition costs of four years at the University at Albany. The Giants are training on the UAlbany campus for the 12th consecutive summer. The first practice sessions will be held on Saturday, July 28 and continue through Thursday, August 23.

GIANTS CAMP BLOOD DRIVE: The New York Giants and UAlbany will team up with the New York Blood Center to conduct a blood drive on the first day of training camp ... A mobile blood center will be located on the east side of UAlbany’s SEFCU Arena, adjacent to the Giants practice fields, from 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 28 ... Each day, New York Blood Center must collect 2,000 units of lifesaving blood to treat patients in hospitals across New York and New Jersey ... Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good health ... For more information, visit their Web site, www.nybloodcenter.org ...

TRAINING CAMP NOTES: Giants training camp parking passes are available at UAlbany’s Athletic Merchandise Store, located in the SEFCU Arena Lobby ... An all-session training camp parking pass is $15.00 ... Dutch Quad Lot is the primary parking facility for the public ... The training camp schedule can be accessed through www.giants.com or www.ualbanysports.com ... The Giants Fan Information Line (518-442-7369) provides general and ticket information, an updated daily schedule, and directions to the UAlbany campus .