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The NCAA News -- February 15, 1999

I-AA athletics directors select 35 academic all-stars in football

The 35 winners of the inaugural Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team have been selected by the Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association.

The winners were chosen from 63 nominees and were announced at the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Nominees were required to have a minimum grade-point average of 3.200 (4.000 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. The player also must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution; have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution; and have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.

The 35 members of the 1998 Division I-AA Academic All-Star Team are:

Voncellies Allen, Georgia Southern, defensive tackle; Nicholas Batalis, Butler, center; Orlando Bellisario, Duquesne, punter; Travis Brawner, Southwest Missouri State, kicker/punter; Giovanni Carmazzi, Hofstra, quarterback; Eric Cole, Wofford, offensive guard/center;

Matthew Crispino, New Hampshire, tackle; Jacob Crissup, Northern Arizona, linebacker; Jarrod Everson, Liberty, defensive line; Matt Farabaugh St. Francis (Pennsylvania), linebacker; Matt Fisher, Duquesne, linebacker; Jake Fuller, Yale, receiver;

Wes Gallagher, Tennessee Tech, offensive tackle, Patrick Goodman, Western Kentucky, center; Brian Hampton, Chattanooga, quarterback; William Hines, McNeese State, offensive guard; Mike MacKenzie, Eastern Washington, running back; Nick Martucci, Lehigh, defensive end;

Brad Meester, Northern Iowa, center; Justin Olsen, Montana, receiver; Anthony Pannunzio, Youngstown State, cornerback; Matt Pederson, Northern Iowa, linebacker; Daniel Poulsen, Buffalo, defensive end; Chad Scott, Sam Houston State, linebacker;

Scott Shields, Weber State, strong safety/kicker/punter; Chris Silvestri, Fairfield, defensive back; Brian Smith, Massachusetts, strong safety; Brad St. Louis, Southwest Missouri State, tight end; Doug Tillberg, Northeastern, defensive tackle; Miguel Viera, Rhode Island, linebacker;

Jim Walls, Fordham, tight end; Jason Wancowicz, Bucknell, offensive tackle; Ephraim Wernick, Brown, defensive tackle; Damian Wroblewski, Lafayette, center; Mike Wynne, Massachusetts, offensive lineman.