RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech placed three players on the 2010 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI College Division Football Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) that was announced on Thursday.
The three Wonder Boys selected were senior linebacker Danny Martin (Tulsa, Okla.), junior punter Jake Denzer (Elkins, Ark.) and junior center Drake Widener (Conway, Ark.). Martin earns First-Team honors for the second consecutive year, while Denzer and Widener earn Second-Team honors.
Tech has now had 22 different Wonder Boys earn CoSIDA Academic All-District VI honors and Martin becomes the third Wonder Boy player to be named a two-time Academic All-District honoree, joining Jonathan Webster, who was selected in 2006 and 2007 and Jeremy Fullingim, who was honored in 1995 and 1996. In addition, Tech has had four three-time Academic All-District honorees in school history.
In order to be eligible for the Academic All-America honors, a student-athlete must have at least 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale), must be a starter or an important reserve and be in at least their second season of athletic and academic eligibility at their current school.
Tech’s players were three of the eight Gulf South Conference players represented on the District VI College Division teams. Joining Martin as a first team selection was Delta State junior quarterback Micah Davis, while Denzer and Widener are joined on the second team by Arkansas-Monticello senior receiver Joseph Lockwood, Harding junior running back Jeremy Holt, Harding senior defensive back Luke Tribble and Harding junior defensive lineman Josh Aldridge.
Martin, who is a two-time member of the GSC All-Academic Football Team and a three-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, repeats as a First-Team Academic All-District VI selection as he carries a 3.76 cumulative grade point average in mechanical engineering. On the season, Martin, who serves as one of the team’s defensive captains, has played in and started all nine games for the Wonder Boys at linebacker and he has recorded 31 total tackles, 5.0 tackles for 28 yards in losses, 1.5 quarterback sacks. In addition, Martin, who has started 36 consecutive games dating to the 2007 season, has also had three quarterback hurries and one pass break-up. In his career, Martin has played in 41 career game and has recorded 159 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and has forced and recovered three fumbles and has blocked two kicks heading into Saturday’s game at Harding.
Denzer, who is a two-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, carries a 3.57 cumulative grade point average in social studies education. On the season, Denzer, who has seen action as both a fullback on offense and as the Wonder Boys punter this season, has played in nine games and is averaging 36.2 yards per punt and has downed 14 of his 48 punts inside the 20-yard line. In addition, Denzer, who has also carried the ball one time for four yards as a fullback, has had one touchback and two of his punts have gone for 50 or more yards, including a 64-yard punt against Henderson State.
Widener, who is a two-time member of the GSC Academic Honor Roll, carries a 3.48 cumulative grade point average in health and physical education. Widener earns second-team honors after playing in five games and making four starts at center for the Wonder Boys. In his career, Widener has graded out at an average of 71 percent and has had 37 career knockdown blocks. He has been a two-time member of the GSC Football Academic Honor Roll and has played in 23 games and made 15 starts, including starting 11 games last season for the Wonder Boys at left tackle before moving to center this season.
With his first-team selection, Martin now advances on to the national ballots where is eligible for Academic All-America College Division honors.
CoSIDA members in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas were responsible for the voting.
No comments:
Post a Comment