Fifth Annual Division I-AA ADs Association Academic All-Star Team Named

Cleveland, Ohio -- The 43 winners of the Fifth Annual Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team were announced this weekend by the Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AA ADA).

The winners were chosen from 115 nominees and were announced at the Division I-AA football championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The 43 members of the Division I-AA Academic All-Star Team are listed below.

"As we enter the fifth year of this recognition program, we are proud to honor these young men who are joining the previous 163 student-athletes to receive this award," said John Johnson, chair of the Division I-AA ADA Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and athletics director at Weber State. "This is an outstanding group of student-athletes, and represent the excellence found in Division I-AA football."

Football players from all Division I-AA institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the 115 nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. He must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.

Additionally, from the Academic All-Star team, 10 finalists were selected for the Division I-AA ADA's Inaugural $5,000 Postgraduate Scholarship. One of the 10 finalists will receive the postgraduate scholarship during the Association's annual membership meeting held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, being held at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, June 13-16, 2003.

The 10 finalists are Josh Blankenship, Eastern Washington, quarterback, 4.00; Bart Brooks, Idaho State, linebacker, 3.50; Chase Corn, Wofford, linebacker, 3.73; David Farrell, Yale, center, 3.48; Nathan Frowsing, St. Mary's (CA), offensive lineman, 3.96; Mark Kasmer, Dayton, safety, 3.94; Jonathan LeDonne, Robert Morris, linebacker, 4.00; Jason Michael, Western Kentucky, quarterback, 3.82; Hadley Prince, McNeese State, defensive back, 3.61; and Juston Wood, Portland State, quarterback, 3.80.

A special Review Committee of Division I-AA athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were John Johnson, chair, Weber State; Terry Driscoll, William and Mary; Kim Graham, Liberty; Wayne Hogan, Montana; Steve McCarty, Stephen F. Austin; Dave Roach, Brown; Dennis Thomas, Hampton; and Perk Weisenburger, Illinois State.

Now in its 10th year, the Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Division I-AA football. The Association is administered by NACDA, which, now in its 38th year, is the professional and educational association for more than 6,150 athletics directors, associates, assistants and conference administrators at more than 1,600 institutions throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. Through its series of management seminars, clinics and workshops and publication of the bi-monthly magazine Athletics Administration, NACDA offers educational opportunities to its members. More than 1,200 athletics administrators annually attend the NACDA Convention. NACDA also owns and operates the two preseason football games, the Kickoff and Pigskin Classics. Additionally, the Association operates the NACDA Directors' Cup program, which honors the all-sports champion in each of the NCAA Divisions -- I, II and III -- and the NAIA, for a total of four trophies.