College Sports Information Directors of America

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team
Selected by CoSIDA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Contact:  Dick Lipe, Bentley College, 781-891-2334 or rlipe@bentley.edu


        WALTHAM, Mass. Senior golfer Zack Robinson of Oklahoma State University and junior swimmer Bill Gaul of the University of Missouri-Rolla head the 2005-2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Mens At-Large Teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
        The Mens At-Large program for the Academic All-America program includes the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, tennis, volleyball, water polo and wrestling.
        Robinson, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, was selected as the Academic All-America of the Year in the University Division. A two-time Academic All-America selection after earning a spot on last years first team, the 2006 Byron Nelson Award recipient already has earned his undergraduate degree at Oklahoma State with a 4.0 GPA in political science and is currently pursuing his masters degree in business administration. He helped the Cowboys capture the 2006 NCAA Division I Mens Golf Championship for their 10th national title and first since 2000.
        It is a great honor to be the Academic All-America of the Year, said Robinson.  :It is great to see so many student-athletes excelling in the classroom.  They have all worked hard to be successful and I'm proud to be in that group.  I've had wonderful support at Oklahoma State and they should be commended for their dedication to their student-athletes.
        Gaul, a native of West Des Moines, Iowa, was selected as the Academic All-America of the Year in the College Division.  A two-time Academic All-America selection after earning second team honors in 2005, he is a 10-time All-America swimmer for the Miners, including three honors at the 2006 NCAA Division II Championships.  In the classroom, Gaul has posted a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average in six semesters at Missouri-Rolla as a Chemical Engineering major and is a two-time MIAA All-Academic selection.
        "I would like to thank CoSIDA and ESPN The Magazine for this great honor, said Gaul.  I was a teammate with Jack Pennuto (the 2003-04 AAA of the Year for mens at large) and to follow in his footsteps to win this award is tremendous not only for myself, but also for the university and the swimming program here at UMR. As a team, we take a lot of pride in our performance in the classroom and it's great that this organization recognizes student-athletes for their academic performance as well as for what they do in competition."
        Robinson was one of four repeat first-team selections in the university division, a list that also includes golfer Alejandro Canizares of Arizona State, fencer Jason Rogers of Ohio State and wrestler Alex Tirapelle of Illinois. The only repeat first-teamer in the college division was tennis player Jesse Ferlianto of Emory.
        Also named to the University Division Academic All-America first-team squad were Minnesota State-Mankatos David Backes (Ice Hockey), Minnesotas Travis Beckerle (Swimming), Auburns Curt Cady (Swimming), Georgia Techs Roberto Castro (Golf), Hofstras Nikola Djordjevic (Tennis), Oklahomas Tommy Garrison (Tennis), Montana States Marek Gebicki (Tennis), Seton Halls Matt Miklius (Swimming), North Carolinas Steven Piantadosi (Fencing), Mississippi States Jose-Carlos Pinto (Tennis), Alabamas Joseph Sykora (Golf), and Stanfords Ben Wildman-Tobriner (Swimming).
        The second-team University squad was led by Robinsons OSU teammate and Jack Nicklaus Award winner in Pablo Martin along with 2006 Hobey Baker finalist Brett Sterling of Colorado College. Also earning spots on the second team were Alabamas Guido Arroyo (Swimming), Armys Patrick Beverly (Golf), Central Michigans Mark DiSalvo (Wrestling), Alabama-Birminghams Sebastian Falk (Tennis), Denvers Brian Flaherty (Swimming), Alaska-Anchorages Brian Gregg (Skiing), Tennessees Tyler Gustafson (Swimming), Saint Louis Christopher Johansen (Swimming), UNC-Wilmingtons Michael Krayer (Swimming), Wyomings Bryce Leonhardt (Wrestling), The Citadels Nicholas Medica (Tennis), New Mexicos Lars Loeseth (Skiing) and Michigans Eric Tannenbaum (Wrestling).
        The third-team University squad was comprised of Colgates Levi Benson (Swimming), Southeastern Louisianas Brett Bergeron (Golf), Air Forces Shannon Buck (Tennis), Navys Sean Blackman (Gymnastics), Nebraska-Omahas Mike Eickman (Ice Hockey), Virginia Techs Mike Faust (Virginia Tech), Southern Methodists Philip Griffin (Swimming), Boston Colleges Peter Harrold (Ice Hockey), Ohio States Kellen Harkness (Swimming), Missouris Tyler McCormick (Wrestling), Alabamas Vlad Polyakov (Swimming), Purdues Giordan Pogioli (Swimming), IUPUIs Justin Wenger (Golf) and Browns Andy Wiener (Water Polo).
        Joining Gaul and Ferlianto on the College Division Academic All-America first team are Cortland States Brian Atkins (Lacrosse), St. Cloud States Tony Larson (Tennis), Case Western Reserves John Erickson (Swimming), Saint Johns (Minn.) Adam Hanna (Ice Hockey), Gustavus Adolphuss Roy Bryan (Tennis), Augsburgs Ryan Valek (Wrestling), Lycomings Steven Hawley (Swimming), Delta States Tripp Davis (Swimming), Ohio Northerns Nick Frankle (Swimming), Presbyterians Hector Rincon (Tennis), Hobarts Matt Garman (Ice Hockey), Gettysburgs Chase Stewart (Lacrosse) and Virginia Wesleyans Eric Caudill (Tennis).
        The second team was led by a pair of Kenyon swimming teammates in Travis Brennion and Jimmy Berger, while Wisconsin-Stevens Point placed a pair of the squad in Garth Newport (Swimming) and Mike Hayes (Wrestling).  Other second team members included Otterbeins Andrew Miller (Golf), Rensselaers Greg Derevianko (Swimming), Farmingdale States Patric Santiago (Golf), Hamiltons Mike Salmon (Swimming), Colorado School of Miness Mark Vallee (Golf), Redlandss Nick Obie (Golf), Clarkes Joe Collier (Volleyball), Johns Hopkinss Tyler Harris (Swimming), Milwaukee School of Engineerings Brian Soik (Ice Hockey), Shippensburgs Corey Jacoby (Wrestling) and Gannons Dave Patronik (Golf).
        The third team was comprised of Wisconsin-Oshkoshs Aaron Burg (Swimming), Lynchburgs A.J. Tinklepaugh (Lacrosse), Case Western Reserves Patrick Rodjom (Swimming), Embry-Riddles Mislav Hizak (Tennis), Truman States Gregg Nurrenbern (Wrestling), Southwestern Oklahoma States Greg Koch (Golf), Barrys Thomas Hipp (Tennis), St. Norberts Aaron Sunday (Tennis), Washingtons (Mo.) Zack Fayne (Tennis), Centrals Nick Cochrane (Tennis), New York Universitys Gabriel Sinkin (Fencing), Missouri Western States Brice Garnett (Golf), California-San Diegos Chris Finegold (Water Polo), Eckerds Sebastian Niedermayer (Tennis), Lycomings Derek Crane (Wrestling), Hardin-Simmonss Roy Lehman (Tennis), Olivets Dustin Meisner (Swimming) and Northwest Missouri States Zach Keith (Tennis).
        The Academic All-America Teams program honors 816 male and female student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom.  Individuals are selected through voting by CoSIDA (the College Sports Information Directors of America), a 2,000 member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
        To be eligible, a student-athletes must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.  Since the programs 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 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 1.85 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 email rlipe@bentley.edu.


NAME        SCHOOL        SPORT        YR        HOMETOWN        GPA        MAJOR
David Backes         Minnesota St-Mankato        Ice Hockey        Jr.        Blaine, Minn.        4.00        Electrical engineering
Travis Beckerle         Minnesota        Swimming        Sr.        St. Louis, Mo.        3.90         Physics
Kurt Cady         Auburn        Swimming        Sr.        Las Vegas, Nev.        3.62         Civil Engineering
Alejandro Canizares         Arizona State        Golf        Sr.        Manilva, Spain        3.87        Interdisciplinary studies
Roberto Castro         Georgia Tech        Golf        Jr.        Alpharetta, Ga.        3.82        Industrial engineering
Nikola Djordjevic         Hofstra        Tennis        Sr.        Belgrade, Serbia        3.94         Finance
Tommy Garrison         Oklahoma        Tennis        Sr.        Enid, Okla.        3.93         Math, pre-medicine
Marek Gebicki         Montana State-Bozeman        Tennis        Sr.        Lodz, Poland        3.99        Industrial engineering
Matt Miklius         Seton Hall        Swimming        Sr.        Palatine, Ill.        4.0        Physics
Steven Piantadosi         North Carolina        FencingI        Sr.        Reisterstown, Md.        3.94        Mathematics, linguistics
Jose-Carlos Pinto         Mississippi State        Tennis        Sr.        Sao Paulo, Brazil        3.99         Banking & finance
Zack Robinson         Oklahoma State        Golf        Gr        Fort Worth, Texas        4.0        Political science, MBA
Jason Rogers         Ohio State        Fencing        Sr.        Los Angeles, Calif.        3.96        Psychology
Joseph Sykora         Alabama        Golf        Jr.        Daphne, Ala.        4.00         Business
Alex Tirapelle         Illinois        Wrestling        Sr.        Clovis, Calif.        3.73         Accountancy
Ben Wildman-Tobriner         Stanford        Swimming        Jr.        San Francisco, Calif.        3.59         Biomechanical engineering


NAME        SCHOOL        SPORT        YR        HOMETOWN        GPA        MAJOR
Guido Arroyo         Alabama        Swimming        Sr.        Quito, Ecuador        4.0         Management info. services
Patrick Beverly         U.S. Military Academy        Golf        So.        Humble, Texas        3.99         Management
Mark DiSalvo         Central Michigan        Wrestling        Gr.        Dayton, Ohio        3.78         Sport management
Sebastian Falk         Alabama-Birmingham        Tennis        Sr.        March, Germany        3.91         Finance
Brian Flaherty         Denver        Swimming        Sr.        Granite Bay, Calif.        4.0         Biochemistry, molecular bio.
Brian Gregg         Alaska-Anchorage        Skiing        Sr.        Winthrop, Wash.        3.70         Management
Tyler Gustafson         Tennessee        Swimming        Sr.        Harrisonburg, Va.        3.81         Logistics & transportation
Christopher Johansen         Saint Louis        Swimming        Sr.        Bloomington, Ind.        3.97         Electrical engineering
Michael Krayer         N. Carolina-Wilmington        Swimming        Sr.        Hattersheim, Germany        3.95         Chemistry, marine biology
Bryce Leonhardt        Wyoming        Wrestling        Sr.        Casper, Wyo.        3.94         Secondary education, math
Lars Loeseth         New Mexico        Skiing        Jr.        Oslo, Norway        3.91         Finance
Pablo Martin         Oklahoma State        Golf        So.        Malaga, Spain        3.79         Economics
Nicholas Medica         The Citadel        Tennis        Sr.        Atlanta, Ga.        4.0         Accounting
Brett Sterling         Colorado College        Ice Hockey        Sr.        Pasadena, Calif.        3.51         Economics
Eric Tannenbaum        Michigan        Wrestling        Jr.        Naperville, Ill.        3.81         Brain, behavior and cognitive
                                                science


NAME        SCHOOL        SPORT        YR        HOMETOWN        GPA        MAJOR
Levi Benson         Colgate        Swimming        Sr.        Allegany, N.Y.        3.73         Molecular biology
Brett Bergeron         Southeastern Louisiana        Golf        Jr.        LaPlace, La.        4.00         Finance
Sean Blackman         U.S. Naval Academy        Gymnastics        Jr.        Fayetteville, Ga.        3.87         Aerospace engineering
Shannon Buck         Air Force        Tennis        Sr.        Spokane, Wash.        3.42         Biology
Mike Eickman         Nebraska-Omaha        Ice Hockey        Jr.        Grand Forks, N.D.        3.97         Psychology
Mike Faust         Virginia Tech        Wrestling        Sr.        Baltimore, Md.        3.42         Management
Philip Griffin         Southern Methodist        Swimming        Sr.        Carrollton, Texas.        3.86         Finance
Kellen Harkness        Ohio State        Swimming        Jr.        Puyallup, Wash.        3.88         Operations Management
Peter Harrold         Boston College        Ice Hockey        Sr.        Kirtland Hills, Ohio        3.51         History
Tyler McCormick         Missouri        Wrestling        So.         Leawood, Kan.        3.95         Business
Giordan Pogioli         Purdue        Swimming        Sr.        Peoria, Ill.        3.60         Computer graphics technology
Vlad Polyakov         Alabama        Swimming        Jr.        Petropavl, Kazakhstan        3.74         Marketing
Justin Wenger         Ind.-Purdue-Indianapolis        0Golf        Jr.        Indianapolis, Ind.        3.91         Mechanical engineering
Andy Wiener         Brown        Water Polo        Sr.        Los Altos, Calif.        3.95         History, political science

ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Team Member of the Year:  Zack Robinson, Oklahoma State


NAME        SCHOOL        SPORT        YR         HOMETOWN        GPA        MAJOR
Brian Atkins         Cortland State        Lacrosse        Sr.        Adams, N.Y.        3.98         Athletic training
Roy Bryan         Gustavus Adolphus        Tennis        Sr.        Edina, Minn.        3.90         Biology
Eric Caudill         Virginia Wesleyan        Tennis        So        Virginia Beach, Va.        4.00        Liberal arts management
Tripp Davis         Delta State        Swimming        Sr.        Madison, Miss.        3.94        Accounting
John Erickson         Case Western Reserve        Swimming        Jr.        Massillon, Ohio        4.0         Biology
Jesse Ferlianto         Emory        Tennis        Sr.        Canyon Country, Calif.        4.00         Business
Nick Frankle         Ohio Northern        Swimming        Jr.        Canfield, Ohio        4.00        Accounting
Matt Garman         Hobart        Ice Hockey        Sr.        Wexford, Pa.        3.98        Chemistry, biology
Bill Gaul         Missouri-Rolla        Swimming        Jr.        West Des Moines, Iowa        4.00         Chemical engineering
Adam Hanna         Saint Johns (Mn)        Ice Hockey        Sr.        Owatonna, Minn.        3.69         Economics
Steven Hawley         Lycoming        Swimming        Sr.        New Cumberland, Pa.        3.99         Biology (pre-med)
Tony Larson         St. Cloud State        Tennis        Sr.        Long Prairie, Minn.        3.86         Physical education
Hector Rincon         Presbyterian        Tennis        Sr.        London, England        3.86        Business administration
Chase Stewart         Gettysburg        Lacrosse        Sr.        Downingtown, Pa.        3.9         Economics
Ryan Valek         Augsburg        Wrestling        Sr.        Belle Plaine, Minn.        3.74         Accounting
                                       
                                       
NAME        SCHOOL        SPORT        YR         HOMETOWN        GPA        MAJOR
Jimmy Berger         Kenyon        Swimming        Sr.        Mansfield, Ohio        3.50         Honors economics, political science
Travis Brennion         Kenyon        Swimming        Sr.        Chino Valley, Ariz.        3.63         Honors economics
Joe Collier         Clarke        Volleyball        Sr.        Oak Lawn, Ill.        3.98         History
Greg Derevianko         Rensselaer Poly        Swimming        Jr.        Wilmington, Del.        3.89         Applied physics
Tyler Harris         Johns Hopkins        Swimming        Sr.        Lancaster, Ohio        3.81        Biology
Mike Hayes         Wisconsin-Stevens Point        Wrestling        Sr.        Beaver Dam, Wis.        3.69         Biology (pre-med)
Corey Jacoby         Shippensburg        Wrestling        Sr.        Hanover, Pa.        3.31        Criminal justice
Andrew Miller         Otterbein        Golf        Jr.        Xenia, Ohio        3.93        Business administration
Garth Newport         Wisconsin-Stevens Point        Swimming        Sr.        Berlin, Wis.        3.94         Economics, business administration
Nick Obie         Redlands        Golf        Sr.        Havre, Mont.        3.86         Financial economics
Dave Patronik         Gannon        Golf        Sr.        Orchard Park, N.Y.        3.92        Business administration
Mike Salmon         Hamilton        Swimming        Sr.        Lowville, N.Y.        3.60         Economics
Patric Santiago         Farmingdale State        Golf        Sr.        Baldwin, N.Y.        3.96         Management technology
Brian Soik         Milwaukee Engineering        Ice Hockey        Jr.        Stevens Point, Wis.        3.90        Mechanical engineering
Mark Vallee         Colorado School Of Mines        Golf        Jr.        Louisville, Colo.        4.00         Mechanical engineering
                                       
                                       
NAME        SCHOOL        SPORT        YR         HOMETOWN        GPA        MAJOR
Aaron Burg         Wisconsin-Oshkosh        Swimming        Sr.        New London, Wis.        4.00        Secondary education
Nick Cochrane         Central        Tennis        Sr.        Fort Dodge, Iowa        3.92        English
Derek Crane         Lycoming        Wrestling        Sr.        Elizabethtown, Pa.        3.83        Biology, criminal justice
Zack Fayne         Washington (Mo)        Tennis        Sr.        Columbus, Ohio        3.97        Economics, psychology
Chris Finegold         UC-San Diego        Water Polo        Sr.        Palo Alto, Calif.        3.65        Management science
Brice Garnett         Missouri Western State        Golf        Sr.        Gallatin, Mo.        3.62        Finance
Thomas Hipp         Barry        Tennis        Jr.        Kreenheinstetten, Germany        3.96        Sports management
Mislav Hizak         Embry-Riddle        Tennis        So.        Varazdin, Croatia        3.89        Business administration
Zach Keith         NW Missouri State        Tennis        Gr.        Chillicothe, Mo.        3.94         History, social science ed.
Greg Koch         SW Oklahoma State        Golf        Sr.        Burkburnett, Texas        4.00        Chemistry
Roy Lehman         Hardin-Simmons        Tennis        Jr.        Vernon, Texas        4.0        Biology, pre-med
Dustin Meisner         Olivet        Swimming        So.        Temperance, Mich.        4.0        Visual arts, biology
Sebastian Niedermayer         Eckerd        Tennis        Sr.        Munich, Germany        3.84        Economics
Gregg Nurrenbern         Truman State        Wrestling        Sr.        Fulton, Mo.        3.64        Business administration
Patrick Rodjom         Case Western Reserve        Swimming        Sr.        Pittsburgh, Pa.        3.62        Computer eng. & engineering mgt.
Gabriel Sinkin         New York Univ.        Fencing        Sr.        Rochester, N.Y.        3.75        Computer science
Aaron Sunday         St. Norbert        Tennis        Jr.        Petoskey, Mich.        3.91        Mathematics
A.J. Tinklepaugh         Lynchburg        Lacrosse        Sr.        Annandale, Va.        3.78        Biomedical science

ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America Team Member of the Year:  Bill Gaul, Missouri-Rolla