PORTLAND ? Portland State senior center Brennan Carvalho was named the 2007 Rimington Award winner, for the top center in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, formerly NCAA Division I-AA, it was announced today. The Rimington Award recognizes the most outstanding centers from each of the lower NCAA divisions and the NAIA.

Carvalho, 6-feet-1, 310 pounds, from Kapa'a, Hawai'I, finished his career as perhaps the Vikings' finest offensive lineman ever. Carvalho was named a first team NCAA FCS first team All-America as both a junior and senior during the 2006 and 2007 seasons. He was also a three-time first-team All-Big Sky Conference performer. Carvalho capped his career by participating in the 2008 Hula Bowl All-Star game.

Carvalho earned the Vikings' starting job at center during his freshman year in 2004 and never relinquished it. All total, he started 39 games for Portland State.

Other 2007 Rimington Award winners were Ryan Pope, of Shepherd University, for NCAA Division II, Brent Allen, of Wisconsin-Whitewater, for NCAA Division III, and Truman Ashby, of Benedictine College, for the NAIA.

The Rimington Award winners are chosen by Don Hansen, who is recognized as the foremost expert on the lower NCAA classifications and the NAIA in the country.