April 21, 2004

Cleveland, Ohio - John Frieser, a tight end at Colgate University, and Matthew Sharpe, a placekicker/punter at Virginia Military Institute, have been chosen as the recipients of the annual Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AA ADA) Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award. Each will receive a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship. Frieser and Sharpe were selected from a group of eight finalists. They will receive their awards during the DI-AA ADA reception on Friday, June 11 at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention at the Wyndham Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas.

"The Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association is proud to present these scholarships to two of our outstanding student-athletes," said John Johnson, chair of the Division I-AA ADA Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and athletics director at Weber State. "These outstanding individuals represent the excellence of the students competing at Division I-AA schools."

Football players from all Division I-AA institutions were eligible for the Division I-AA Academic All-Star Team. There were 93 nominees, of which 31 were selected to the All-Star Team. The eight finalists, from which Frieser and Sharpe were chosen, were among the 31 members of the All-Star Team. 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. They must have reached their 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. They must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.

Frieser posted a 3.69 GPA in sociology/anthropology. A two-time All-Patriot League selection, Frieser was one of only two Division I-AA football players to receive a National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Postgraduate scholarship. The team captain was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 1 squad three times and was also a Division I-AA ADA All-Star last season. He has also been named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll three times. Colgate's third leading receiver with 29 catches for 392 yards and four touchdowns, Frieser helped lead the Raiders to the Division I-AA championship game.

Frieser will either pursue a master's degree in teaching for secondary certification in social studies or enter the business world first. "Receiving the ADA scholarship means I have been recognized by both my peers and superiors in the collegiate world," says Frieser. "Being honored in this fashion gives me great satisfaction and also gives tribute to those that have helped me along the way."

Sharpe recorded a GPA of 3.91 in computer science, with minors in French, math and writing. He was a finalist for both the Rhodes and Marshall scholarships and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America second team. Sharpe connected on 17 of 24 field goals, setting the school record for field goals in a season. He holds the rank of Regimental S-t Caption and is one of the highest ranking senior cadets. Last summer, he interned with Boeing, performing classified work on the ballistic missile defense system.

Sharpe will pursue his master's degree in human computer interaction and has been accepted to the University of Bath in England. He will eventually pursue a second master's degree in software engineering and a doctorate in systems engineering. Says Sharpe, "Earning the Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association postgraduate scholarship would attest to the difficulty in not only being an athlete, but being a student-athlete. I have never been satisfied simply being in just one of those classifications and being awarded this scholarship would be the penultimate award recognizing my undergraduate endeavors.

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; Kim Graham, Liberty; Roachel Laney, Appalachian State; Don Kaverman, Southeast Missouri State; Steve McCarty, Stephen F. Austin; John Parry, Butler; and Perk Weisenburger, Illinois State.

Now in its 11th 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 39th 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. Additionally, the Association operates the United States Sports Academy 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.