WASHINGTON – In every season since 2003, one player on the Georgetown University football team carries the tradition and the legacy of a fallen brother on his shoulders. The Hoyas have announced that senior defensive lineman
Matthew Plunkett has been selected as the 21st recipient of the No. 35 Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey for the 2025 campaign.
The student-athletes chosen to wear the No. 35 jersey have been selected based on both on-field performance and a combination of skills and intangibles that have cemented Eacobacci's place in Georgetown football history.
"The Joe Eacobacci Number 35 Memorial Jersey is one of the best traditions in college football," said Head Coach
Rob Sgarlata. "The number 35 represents the best of our program and Georgetown University. This collection of leaders who have worn the number 35 honor Joey's memory with living examples of dedication and genuine care of others through the incredible game of football. In his first three years on the Hilltop,
Matthew Plunkett has led by a selfless example of hard work and dedication. I am confident that he will create his own living legacy as he joins this incredible legacy of Hoyas."
Plunkett is now the fifth defensive lineman to wear the No. 35 jersey alongside Michael Ononibaku (2004,05), Alex Buzbee (2006), Stephen Smith (2007) and
VeRon Garrison (2024).
"Words can't really describe the rush of emotion I had when Coach Sgarlata announced that I was going to be honored with the 35 jersey," said Plunkett. "I understand the importance of what this jersey symbolizes. I've heard countless stories about what Joe meant to people, to his community, and most of all, to the Georgetown football program. It's clear that wearing this number carries a legacy far greater than myself, and I want to do everything I can to honor him while I wear it.I know this honor also comes with a lot of responsibility to be a leader on this team, and I'm ready for that. Wearing the 35 jersey gives me a new sense of leadership and confidence. I am proud to help uphold the standards that Coach Sgar and our staff have given us. The past 35 recipients have led the way and given me great examples to follow. To be selected as this year's recipient of the 35 jersey is one of the greatest honors of my life."
The Tennessee native has played in 21 games on the Hilltop, recording 16 tackles, including 11 solo and five assists. The defensive lineman has also recorded one blocked pass and one blocked kick. Plunkett was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2022 and 2023.
On September 11, 2001 the Georgetown community lost former Hoya football standout Eacobacci to the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. A 1996 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, he was an energy trader for the investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald on the 105th floor of the North Tower. Since the 2003 season, the No. 35 has been awarded as a living memorial to the spirit and memory of Joey.
