University of Toledo Athletics

Barry Church played safety for the Rockets from 2006-09 and is the only UT player in history to earn first-team All-MAC honors in four seasons. At the time, he was only the third four-time first-team All-MAC player in league history. As a senior, Church was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back) and the Bronco Nagurski Award (top defensive player). Church had 98 tackles as a senior, but his most memorable game came in a 20-19 win over Northern Illinois in which he blocked two kicks, including a potential game-winning field goal with 37 seconds left. As a junior, he was second on team and 15th in the MAC with 7.8 tackles per game, and led UT with six passes broken up and three forced fumbles. As a sophomore, Church was third on team and tied for 18th in MAC with 92 tackles, adding three interceptions and four pass breakups. He had a career-high 19 tackles, including three tackles-for-loss, vs. Iowa State that year. In 2006, Church was named second-team Freshman All-America by The Sporting News and by Scout.com. He placed third in balloting for MAC Freshman of the Year and led the Rockets with four interceptions. He also ran back two interceptions for touchdowns, tying a school record. Since graduation, Church has played six seasons in the NFL as a defensive back for the Dallas Cowboys. He was named defensive captain for the Cowboys in 2015.