Villanova University senior linebacker Austin Calitro has accepted an invitation to play in the East-West Shrine game to be played on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The game will be televised live on the NFL Network. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

Calitro joins an elite list of football greats, such as John Elway, Tom Brady, Brett Favre, and 74 NFL Hall of Famers, who have played in the East-West Shrine Game, in addition to more than 265 East-West Shrine Game alumni on NFL rosters each year. A strong performance at the East-West Shrine Game can greatly impact a player's chances of a career in the NFL. More than 100 players from last year's game signed with professional teams this spring, and more than 70 made final NFL rosters.

While the teams are divided by East and West, the players come together for the beneficiary of the event, Shriners Hospitals for Children, an international pediatric specialty health care system that treats children in orthopedics, spinal cord injuries, cleft lift and palate, and burns, regardless of the families' ability to pay.

Calitro helped anchor a Villanova defense that led all of FCS football in both total defense (259.8 ypg) and scoring defense (15.0 ppg.), and ranked fourth in rushing defense at 87.6 yards per game. In 13 games this past season, Calitro tied for the team lead in total tackles with 86 and he ranked second on the Wildcat team in tackles for loss with 12. He also had four pass break-ups and 3.5 quarterback sacks. For his efforts in 2016, Calitro was a first team All-CAA honoree.