Wingate’s Marino, Tusculum’s Black Named Football Academic All-Americans

Notre Dame, Ind.--Wingate University senior defensive end Frank Marino and Tusculum College senior placekicker Glen Black have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® football first team, selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

Student-athletes selected for Academic All-America® honors must be a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials. She must possess at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale). She must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing and must have completed at least one full academic year at her institution. Student-athletes are nominated by their sports information directors.

Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.

ESPN The Magazine - winner of the 2006 and 2003 National Magazine Award for General Excellence - is a provocative and innovative sports publication. Full of insight, analysis, impact and wit, the oversized bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.9 million looks ahead to give fans a unique perspective on the world of sports.

For more information about the Academic All-America Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com or e-mail rlipe@bentley.edu.

Wingate

Marino (Matthews, N.C.) has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® football first team (college division). Marino earns Academic All-America® honors for the first time in his career. He is the first Wingate football student-athlete to receive Academic All-America® laurels.

Earlier this month, Marino earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III football first team honors for the second consecutive year. District III (college division) includes all non-NCAA Division I schools (Division II, III and NAIA) in Florida, Georgia, Virginia and North and South Carolina. Marino sports a 3.96 GPA in his Finance major.

Since January 1, 2000, Wingate University has produced 23 Academic All-America® selections. Wingate entered the 2006-07 academic year ranked sixth among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000s. Marino gives Wingate 32 Academic All-America® selections all-time, tops in the South Atlantic Conference.

A two-year team captain as elected by his teammates, Marino had 30 tackles (nine solo, 21 assists) this season. He has 3.5 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries in 2006. In 2005, Marino recorded 25 tackles and two sacks.

Marino recorded a season-high six tackles in a win at Davidson on Sept. 9, 2006. This season, the Bulldogs compiled an 8-3 overall record and 5-2 ledger in the South Atlantic Conference. Wingate equaled its school record for senior college wins in a season with eight. Marino and his 17 senior teammates set a school record with 26 career victories. Wingate's five SAC wins is also a school record.

Marino received the Herschel "Red" and Mary B. Edwards Scholarship Award at Wingate's spring 2006 athletic awards ceremony. This award is presented to a rising junior or senior student-athlete who has at least a 3.0 GPA. The Edwards Scholarship Award is presented annually to a student-athlete who is a solid contributor to his team, has a go-the-extra-mile work ethic and is always a team player.

Marino served from 1998-2002 in the United States Marines. He was again called to active duty in 2003. Marino was an honor graduate from boot camp and also received an achievement medal for his actions as an ammunition chief. He is married and has a young daughter.

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution offering students active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, faith nurturing, career development, community service and study abroad.

Wingate offers more than 37 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers pre-professional programs and graduate degrees in business, education, physical education and sport administration. In the spring of 2007, Wingate University will award its first-ever doctor of pharmacy degrees. Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports.

Tusculum

Tusculum College kicker Glen Black has been named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® College Division Football Second Team announced College officials Thursday.

Black, a senior from Bristol, Tenn., becomes the first player in the program's history to earn Academic All-America® distinction. He is also the sixth Tusculum student-athlete since 2000 to be named an Academic All-American®.

Black has posted a 3.82 cumulative grade point average while majoring in Accounting. Black enjoyed a solid season on the gridiron leading the Pioneers in scoring with 43 points. The Tennessee High School graduate went 22-of-24 on extra points and 7-of-11 on field goals earning All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team honors. Black was named the SAC Special Teams Player of the Week twice during his career, including once this season.

The Tennessee High School graduate is ranked second in Tusculum history with 111 career points (kicking) and is the all-time leader in extra points (69) and extra point attempts (77).

Black is a campus leader, serving as vice president of student government association. He leads weekly Bible studies with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as well as working with a local church to develop a Tusculum Baptist College Night. He has volunteered with numerous community service projects through Nettie Day at Tusculum College and through church activities.

Black was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV First Team earlier this month and was tabbed to the 2006 American Football Coaches Association of America Good Works Team which recognizes community service, along with athletic and academic achievement. He is one of only 22 collegiate football players in the country to earn this prestigious honor.

Members of the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Football Team are selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

2006 ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA®
FOOTBALL TEAMS (COLLEGE DIVISION)

FIRST TEAM
Punter - Jovin Kroll, Wisconsin-River Falls
Quarterback - Jeff Highfill, Bridgewater
Wide Receiver - Weston Dressler, North Dakota
Wide Receiver - Evan Earnest, Johns Hopkins
Tight End - Christopher Ruggiero, MIT
Running Back - Danny Woodhead, Chadron State
Running Back - Dante Daniels, Monmouth (Ill.)
+Offensive Line - Nicholas Zappia, Rochester
Offensive Line - Mike Butterworth, Slippery Rock
Offensive Line - Rick Drushal, Wooster
&Offensive Line - Shawn Herrmann, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Offensive Line - Steve Leppert, Capital
Place Kicker - Frank Leibfarth, South Dakota
+Defensive Back - Aaron Lewis, Carnegie Mellon
Defensive Back - Michael Greenwood, North Dakota
Defensive Back - Jake Weller, Illinois College
Defensive Back - Ben Bollard, Central (Iowa)
Linebacker - Michael Klobucher, Ferris State
Linebacker - Bryan Vivaldo, Wilkes
Linebacker - Kyle Elsasser, Nebraska Wesleyan
Linebacker - Jamie Steffensmeier, Saint John's (Minn.)
+$Defensive Line - Ryan Meredith, Pittsburg State
Defensive Line - Frank Marino, Wingate
Defensive Line - Leon Douglas, Missouri Western State
Defensive Line - Todd Eagle, Humboldt State

SECOND TEAM
Punter - Kevin Soflkiancs, Baldwin-Wallace
Quarterback - Josh Brehm, Alma
Wide Receiver - Kyle Duchman, Wartburg
Wide Receiver - Ryan Robinson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Tight End - Andrew Neumann, Augsburg
&Running Back - Bryan Florendo, Colorado School of Mines
@Running Back - Mark Robinson, St. John Fisher (N.Y.)
Offensive Line - Matt Hoelscher, Albright
Offensive Line - Steve Honeyman, Whitworth
Offensive Line - Brian Freeman, Carnegie Mellon
Offensive Line - Matthew Merrow, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Offensive Line - Derek Katris, California (Pa.)
Place Kicker - Glen Black, Tusculum
Defensive Back - Nick Dellasega, Pittsburg State
Defensive Back - Andy Rape, Rochester
Defensive Back - Nick Noble, Wartburg
Defensive Back - Shawn Cunningham, Winona State
Linebacker - Matt Alves, Texas Lutheran
Linebacker - Jason Goeller, Rochester
Linebacker - Trent Sisson, Carnegie Mellon
Linebacker - Brad Scherer, Concordia (Minn.)
&Defensive Line - Creed James, Mesa State
Defensive Line - Spencer Dickinson, Minnesota State-Mankato
Defensive Line - Matt Lemke, John Carroll
Defensive Line - Matthew Murphy, South Dakota

Academic All-America® of the Year: Ryan Meredith, Pittsburg State (Kan.)

+ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® football first team in 2005
&ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® football second team in 2005
@ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® football first team in 2004
$ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® football second team in 2004