ATHLETIC HONORS & AWARDS
- First Team All-Centennial Conference (2024)
- Second Team All-Centennial Conference (2023)
ACADEMIC HONORS & AWARDS
- National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society (2025)
- Second Team CSC Academic All-American (2024)
- CSC Academic All-District (2024)
- Academic All-Centennial Conference (2024)
- Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll (2023) |
Career Summary
- Played in 47 of 50 games, including all 27 in final two seasons.
- Finished career with 149 tackles, 25 pass breakups and two interceptions.
2024
- Has 61 tackles, including one for a loss, two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and two blocked kicks on the year.Â
- 10 PBUs led the team and ranked fifth on the team.
- On his 22nd birthday, returned first INT of his career 31 yards with less than two minutes remaining to seal a 20-13 win against Rowan ... added five tackles in the victory as well.
- Also recorded the 100th tackle of his career in the win against Rowan.
- Had two tackles and two pass breakups in a 13-6 win over Franklin & Marshall.
- Posted a career-high 10 tackles, one interception and one pass breakup in a 16-7 win at previously unbeaten Ursinus. Interception came at the goal line with less than two minutes remaining to seal the victory for the Blue Jays.
- Notched five tackles and blocked an extra point in a 26-13 win over Muhlenberg.
- Led team with eight tackles and had one PBU in a 17-14 win over Grove City in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.
- Rang up eight tackles in a 14-9 win at DePauw in third round of the NCAAs and tied for the team lead with seven tackles in a 17-10 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
- Notched one tackle and two pass breakups in final game of career, a 45-37 loss at Mount Union in the NCAA Semifinals.
2023
- Started all 13 games at cornerback.
- Tied for first on the team – and ranked first among defensive backs – with 48 tackles.
- Added four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a team-high 11 pass breakups.
- Notched four tackles, including one for a loss, and one pass breakup in a 27-17 season-opening win against Ithaca.
- Had six tackles in a 55-20 win at Rowan and added five tackles in regular-season wins against Christopher Newport, Gettysburg and Ursinus.
- Sparked 39-17 win over Union in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs with seven tackles, including one sack, and a pass breakup.
- Added four tackles and one pass breakup in a 39-36 loss to Randolph-Macon in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
2022
- Played in eight of JHU’s 12 games on the year.
- Totaled 23 tackles and four pass breakups.
- Had a season-high six tackles in a 54-14 season-opening win at Case Western.
- Added four tackles in wins at Ursinus and Dickinson.
- Had one tackle and two pass breakups in a 34-27 win over Muhlenberg.
2021
- Played in all 12 games.
- Recorded 17 tackles and one fumble recovery on the year.
- Posted a season-high four tackles in a 37-17 win against Dickinson.
- Recorded two or more tackles in six of 12 games played.
- Returned a fumble 14 yards for a touchdown in a 54-6 win at Moravian.
At Seton Hall Prep
- Member of football, basketball and track teams.
- Three-year starter on offense and defense in football.
- All-conference selection as a junior, when he totaled 58 tackles and two interceptions and scored two touchdowns.
- Rang up 60 tackles, two interceptions and scored seven TDs as a senior and earned all-conference and all-country honors.
- Led football team to an 8-2 record and quarterfinals of state playoffs as a junior.
- Senior season limited to six games (3-3) due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Personal
- PJ Penders.
- Th son of Stephen and Susan Penders.
- Youngest of three children with older sisters Grace and Molly.
- Father, Stephen, was a three-year letterwinner in football at Yale.
- Sister, Grace, was a co-captain on the track team at the University of Chicago.
- Majoring in economics.
