Joaquin Gonzalez Class: Senior Hometown: Miami, FL High School: Columbus Height / Weight: 6-5 / 292 Position: Offensive Line

AT MIAMI: One of the nation's top offensive tackles and a major factor in an offensive line to blame for only three quarterback sacks during the 2000 regular season...combines with left tackle Bryant McKinnie to comprise college football's finest tackle duo...consistently grades high in post-game evaluations...one of Miami's top student-athletes...named to the District One All-Academic Team for 2000...has started every game since donning a Miami uniform (35 games)...has allowed just two quarterback sacks over the last 23 games...excellent blocker who has great size and quickness...strong finisher with excellent punch and extension in run blocking...is extremely intelligent and self-motivated...excels in pass protection where he uses long arms to lock out effectively...active in UM's “Join A Team, Not a Gang” community service program; to encourage area youth to seek positive alternatives to gangs...three-time member of BIG EAST All-Academic Team for maintaining a grade-point average over 3.0...joined the Hurricanes as a walk-on...was awarded an athletic scholarship prior to sophomore season...came to Miami on an academic scholarship after graduating high school with a 4.0 grade point average...outstanding student who scored 1,320 out of 1,600 on SAT and turned down academic scholarships to Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell in order to walk on at Miami...member of the academic honors society Omicron Delta Kappa and a 2000 inductee into Iron Arrow, the highest honor bestowed to any University of Miami student or staff member... is the only offensive lineman in BIG EAST history to earn Rookie of the Year honors (1998)…graduated from UM with a degree in business marketing in December, 2000…currently attending UM's graduate school, pursuing an MBA.

2000 (JUNIOR): Solidified his status as one of college football's outstanding linemen by earning first-team All-American from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) and second-team All-American by College Football News…played a key role in the rise of Miami's offensive line into a team strength and one of college football's premier units...helped lead the Miami offense to one of the most successful seasons ever as the Hurricanes led the BIG EAST in scoring (42.6 ppg), pass efficiency (152.8 rating) and total offense (460.8 ypg)...major force in an offensive line that permitted just three sacks in a whopping 340 pass attempts during the regular season...exhibited dramatic improvement as a run blocker, assisting a Miami running game that averaged 194.8 yards per game after a slow start…helped Hurricanes' running back James Jackson become only the fourth running back in UM history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season (1,006)…earned BIG EAST Academic All-Star status for the third consecutive season.

1999 (SOPHOMORE): Started every game at right tackle...was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star and candidate for GTE Academic All-America honors...gave up just one sack all season and recorded numerous “Metrorails”...also placed among the top three lineman in pancakes.

1998 (FRESHMAN): Emerged in preseason camp to start every game at right tackle...named BIG EAST Rookie of the Year, becoming the first offensive lineman in league history to win the honor...also earned freshman All-American accolades...became just the third freshman in the 1990's to start along UM's offensive front, joining former All-Americans K.C. Jones and Richard Mercier...teamed with Martin Bibla in the season-opener to become the first pair of freshmen to start along the Hurricane offensive line in 20 seasons...named to the BIG EAST Football All-Academic Team...became the first Rookie of the Year in league history to earn All-Academic recognition…was awarded a football scholarship in August of 1998.

1997 (REDSHIRT): Spent the season as a member of the Hurricane scout team.

HIGH SCHOOL: Columbus...played both offensive and defensive tackle...team captain and honorable mention All-Dade selection as a senior...offensive line MVP...named Columbus' Student Athlete of the Year following his senior year...recorded 46 tackles including two sacks, three caused fumbles and one fumble recovery at defensive tackle as a senior...also lettered in track where he recorded personal bests of 149-0 in the discus and 47-0 in the shot put...was named National Young Leader and given the President's Education Award as a senior...coached in football by Dennis Lavelle.

PERSONAL: Born 9/7/79...currently an MBA candidate in Miami's Graduate School of Business...full name is Joaquin Antonio Gonzalez... chose to attend Miami over Louisville, Central Florida, Wake Forest and Oklahoma State...son of Joaquin and Maria Gonzalez.