For the past two seasons, Fred Santarelli has been a force on both the offensive and defensive lines for The Hill School’s football team. His standout play on both sides of the ball earned him All-MAPL and All-State recognition, and proved to be a consistent anchor in the middle of an inexperienced line.

Fred’s hard work and strong play also earned him a scholarship to continue his football career for the next four years at Towson University, where he officially committed on February 1.

“I became interested in Towson last March,” Fred explained. “I noticed that the Towson coaching staff had viewed my online recruiting profile 10 times in the previous week. I called the coach and decided to visit the campus and watch a spring practice. The instant I saw their head coach, Rob Ambrose, on the field running practice, I liked what I saw. Towson quickly moved to the top of my list after watching that practice.”

The 6’6’’, 300lb. offensive tackle/defensive lineman transferred to The Hill as a repeat junior for the 2010 season and quickly established his dominant presence on both sides of the ball. Graduation took its toll on The Hill’s football team heading into the 2011 season, and Fred, one of just three returning starters, used his on-the-field talent and leadership skills to help guide the team. For his efforts, Fred earned the team’s Coaches Award; was named first team offense and second team defense all-MAPL teams; earned Pottstown Mercury all-area status and all-state honorable mention from Pa. Football Insider; and was a top 10 ranked lineman in Southeastern Pa. by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Fred was a special player for what he brought to our team both on and off the field,” said Hill head coach Grey Simpson. “On the field, he was a dominant two-way lineman who was recognized as a top notch offensive left tackle. He brought great energy to both sides of the ball and never took a play off. Off the field, he was a great leader for the entire team, always pushing his teammates to be better while also being there to support anyone who needed a helping hand or pat on the back. I am confident Fred’s commitment to football and his hard work on the field will pay off quickly at Towson.”

While football contributed to Fred’s decision to transfer to The Hill, the School’s reputation for strong academics and developing time-management skills was the ultimate selling point.

“Believe it or not, football was not the main reason I decided to transfer to The Hill,” he said. “I needed to mature academically and raise my grades. My dad’s boss had family connections at The Hill and told us about it. I loved the School and also appreciated the opportunity to have another year to develop as a football player as well as mature in the classroom.”

After spending two years developing his skills at The Hill, Fred feels that he is more than ready to tackle the challenge of balancing a Division I sport and the college academic workload.

“Life at The Hill is very structured and very hectic,” he said. “Hill students are expected to perform at the highest level at all times. I know the work load at Towson will be equally, if not more hectic, but the time management skills I’ve learned have me very well prepared to succeed at Towson.”