DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke All-America linebacker Michael Tauiliili will participate in the 84th annual East-West Shrine Game on Saturday, January 17 in his hometown of Houston, Texas.  The game, which will be played at the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium, will kick off at 2 p.m. (ET) and be televised live on ESPN2.
 
Tauiliili will play for the East squad under former Georgia Tech and Maryland head coach Bobby Ross.  Former Alabama head coach Gene Stallings will coach the West team.  Tauiliili is one of eight players from the ACC to participate in the contest, joining linebacker Robert Francois of Boston College, kicker Graham Gano of Florida State, wide receiver Aaron Kelly of Clemson, defensive lineman Orion Martin of Virginia Tech, defensive lineman Darryl Richard of Georgia Tech, offensive lineman Jaimie Thomas of Maryland and offensive lineman Edwin Williams of Maryland.
 
In 2008, Tauiliili led Duke in tackles (140), interceptions (4), pass breakups (5), quarterback pressures (5) and caused fumbles (3).  His 140 stops led the ACC and matched the eighth-highest single-season total in school history.  He added 13.0 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery and was a primary reason that Duke made significant improvement in scoring defense (-9.8), total defense (-67.4), rushing defense (-28.7) and passing defense (-38.7) while facing the second-most difficult schedule in the nation -- a ledger that included 10 bowl eligible teams and the top-ranked FCS squad in James Madison.
 
Tauiliili received All-America honors from the Walter Camp Foundation (2nd team), Associated Press (3rd team) and Sports Illustrated (Honorable Mention).
 
A First Team All-ACC selection this past season, Tauiliili finished third in the league's Defensive Player of the Year voting after captaining a Duke defense that held three opponents to less than 10 points for the first time since 1976.  He is the only linebacker in the ACC to rank among the league's top 10 players in four defensive statistical categories.
 
Tauiliili played 46 career games at Duke and finished with 434 tackles, 46.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 quarterback sacks, seven interceptions and eight pass breakups.  On Duke's career charts, he ranks fourth in tackles and third in tackles for loss.
 
Tauiliili becomes the 34th player to represent Duke in the annual event, joining Elmore Hackney (1937), Ace Parker (1937), George McAfee (1939), Willard Perdue (1939), Tony Ruffa (1940), Ernest Beamer (1943), Al DeRogatis (1948), Bob Pascal (1955), Sonny Sorrell (1955), Wray Carlton (1958), Mike McGee (1959), Jack Wilson (1961), Jay Wilkinson (1963), Mike Murphy (1967), Wes Chesson (1970), Leo Hart (1970), Steve Jones (1972), Ed Newman (1972), Dave Meier (1975), Billy Bryan (1976), Mike Sandusky (1977), Lyman Smith (1977), Carl McGee (1978), Chris Castor (1982), Phil Ebinger (1983), Mike Junkin (1986), Dave Colonna (1989), Robert Baldwin (1994), Ray Farmer (1995), Tawambi Settles (1997), Ryan Fowler (2003), Drew Strojny (2003) and Alex Green (2005).