PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers senior safety Courtney Greene (New Rochelle, N.Y.) was named to the preseason watch list for the Jim Thorpe Award, recognizing the nation's best defensive backs, for the second straight season.

It is the third preseason award watch list for Greene, who has also been named to the Lott Trophy and Nagurski Trophy watch lists. He is one of 40 defensive backs and one of only four from the BIG EAST Conference to be named to the prestigious list. Greene is one of only nine defensive backs around the country to be named to the preseason watch list for the second straight season.

Greene is a two-time All-BIG EAST defensive back and ranks eighth in Rutgers history in career tackles with 299 after leading the Scarlet Knights in tackles last season with 101. He guided a defensive backfield that ranked fifth in the nation in pass defense in 2007 and recorded four interceptions last fall.

The Thorpe Award is one of college football's most sought after and prestigious awards.  It is named after history's greatest all-around athlete, a man who excelled as a running back, passer and kicker on offense, but also was an awesome defensive back.  Recognized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame simply as "The Legend", Thorpe also played professional baseball and won Olympic gold medals in the decathlon and pentathlon.

The Jim Thorpe Award watch list is determined by analysis of the pre-season All-American teams listed in at least six pre-season college football annual magazines.  Four points are awarded for First Team, three points for second team, two points for third and one point for fourth teams and honorable mentions.  This procedure determines approximately 40 players on the pre-season watch list.  This list is not final and players who have outstanding seasons are added as the season progresses.

 A "Screening Committee" of Jim Thorpe Association members follows these players throughout the season, watching games and researching information sources to grade Thorpe Award candidates on the basis of performance on the field, athletic ability and character.  The committee meets on the first Monday in November to narrow the field to 10 or 12 semi-finalists.  

The committee meets again on the Monday before Thanksgiving to select the three finalists.  The names of these finalists are submitted to a national panel of about 50 sports writers, sportscasters, coaches and former players who vote to determine the winner.  The three finalists are invited to the ESPN College Football Awards Show, and the winner is announced during the show.

Formal presentation of the Jim Thorpe Award takes place at ceremonies in Oklahoma City on the first Tuesday in February following the national signing date for college football recruits.

Rutgers opens its season at Rutgers Stadium against Fresno State at 4:00 p.m. on Sept. 1 in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPN.