The Helsinki Wolverines, 2020 Maple Bowl finalists, have re-signed giant Swedish defensive lineman Benjamin Banks Egbudiwe for the 2021 season.
The 6’4″, 260 pound, 28 year old from Uppsala, Sweden spent the 2020 shortened season with the Wolverines, helping them reach the Maple Bowl. He finished the seven game season including playoffs and championship with 8 solo tackles, 23 assisted tackles and3.5 sacks. As soon as the season ended, he signed with the Stockholm Mean Machines in the Swedish league for the final two regular season games, one playoff game and then the Swedish Championship Game. He recorded 1 solo tackle, 9 assisted and 0.5 sacks. Egbudiwe also played with Helsinki during the 2019 season in Finland recording 42.5 tackles, 12.0-53 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 1 fumble recovery.
In 2017, Egbudiwe also split the season, first playing six games with the Uppsala 86ers recording 13.5 tackles. He then signed in Finland with the Seinäjoki Crocodiles for the last six games of the Maple League season recording 26.5 tackles and 2 sacks.
He started at defensive end for the Swedish National Team that played in the 2019 IFAF European Championship qualification against Russia and Great Britain. Sweden won both games, beating Team Russia 34-7 and Great Britain 36-14.
Egbudiwe played college football in the United States, first with City College of San Francisco and then with the Benedictine College Ravens (NAIA) in Atchison, Kansas.
Needless to say, he is happy to be returning to the Wolverines:
“Because of a personal attachment to Finland and Helsinki, I’m so happy and excited to be back for my third season with the team and to be a part of the Wolverines family. When Coach Mattingly told me ‘Benji, we want you back’ I didn’t hesitate a second. With the talent the team has and with the expertise combined with the leadership from Coach Mattingly and the rest of the coaching staff, I know we will be a top contender in Vaahteraliiga next year!”
Wolverines head coach Michael Mattingly:
“I’m excited to have him back. This will be my third season coaching Benjamin all the way back to Seinajoki in 2018 before his injury that season, then this 2020 season and now again in 2021. He is the ultimate team player and is exactly what we need upfront. His combination of size and speed is good to keep in our defense and he can be used as a DE or DT. I’m pleased to have him be a Wolverine once again.”
Check out highlights from 2019
