Furman University

Honors & Awards
2023 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll

2022 — Enjoyed a solid first season at Furman, seeing extensive duty in all 13 games and making three late season starts at tight end...worked primarily behind All-American Ryan Miller...credited with four receptions for 29 yards...had a 10-yard catch against Charleston Southern (24-19 win) and 10-yard reception versus The Citadel (21-10 win)...starts came against FCS sixth-ranked Chattanooga (24-20 win), 11th-ranked Mercer (23-13 win), and Wofford (63-28 win)...named to the SoCon Academic Honor Roll for the 2022-23 school year.

2021 — As a senior at Michigan State, played in first four games to earn his second letter....missed the second half of the season due to an injury....played 21 snaps on offense and 29 plays on special teams...selected co-special teams player of the week vs. Nebraska...named Academic All-Big Ten...announced by Furman as a graduate transfer addition to the program on May 20, 2022...earned his undergraduate degree in marketing.

2020 — Did not see game action...named  scout team co-offensive player of the week vs. Michigan...Academic All-Big Ten selection.

2019 — Made the transition from defensive end to tight end during preseason camp...saw action in four games, primarily on special teams: vs. Tulsa, Western Michigan, Michigan, Wake Forest....played 11 snaps at tight end during MSU’s 27-21 Pinstripe Bowl win over Wake Forest and had his first career catch, a five-yard reception in the third quarter....named scout team offensive player of the week vs. Western Michigan...also served as the team’s back-up long snapper...Academic All-Big Ten selection.

2018 — Did not see any action...redshirted.

High School: 2018 graduate of Chaminade College Prep...football coach was Ed Croson...listed as one of the best defensive ends in the nation by ESPN.com (No. 42)...rated the third-best defensive end prospect in the state of California by ESPN.com...named one of the top players in the state of California by ESPN.com (No. 45) and Rivals.com (No. 77)...helped Chaminade to a perfect 6-0 conference record en route to winning the Mission League title his senior year...had 26 tackles and 1.5 sacks as a senior in only six games, playing just half the season due to injury; also saw time as a tight end

Personal:  Born August 29, 2000...son of Melissa Gissinger and the late Andrew Gissinger...father was a four-year letterwinner (1977-80) as an offensive lineman at Syracuse and was selected in the sixth round of the 1981 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers...played 41 games in the NFL for the Chargers (1982-84)... enrolled in Furman’s Master of Arts in Strategic Design program.