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Commodore Linebacker Hunter
Hillenmeyer Named First-Team Verizon Academic All-American
Monday 12/2/02
 STAMFORD,
Conn. — Vanderbilt senior linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer
was named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America® Team
on Monday, becoming the first Commodore football player to
earn first-team academic recognition in nearly 20 years.
The honor continues a banner season for Hillenmeyer, who
became one of NCAA’s leading tacklers despite playing
a new position, middle linebacker. The native of Nashville
concluded the season as the Southeastern Conference leader
with 100 solo tackles and 169 total tackles. He also ranked
in the top five nationally in both categories. Hillenmeyer
was joined by two other SEC student-athletes - Jon Stinchcomb
of Georgia and Rodney Reed of LSU.
The Verizon Academic All-America recognition comes just weeks
after Hillenmeyer was named a “National Scholar Athlete”
by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall
of Fame. He was just one of six Division I players to earn
the honor.
 Hillenmeyer
becomes the first Commodore named to the first-team Verizon
Academic All-American squad since wide receiver Phil Roach
was recognized in 1983, and just the seventh Vanderbilt player
named to first-team squad since the award began 50 years ago.
Six other former Commodores have earned second-team Academic
All-American honors.
The Academic All-America program was created in 1952 by the
College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Verizon, in cooperation with CoSIDA, has been the exclusive
sponsor since 1985. To be nominated, the student-athlete must
be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative
grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his career.
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Verizon Academic All-America First-Team Offense
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Kliff Kingsbury |
Texas Tech |
QB |
Gr. |
New Braunfels, Texas |
3.78 |
Management |
| Kyler Randall |
Eastern Wash. |
WR |
Jr. |
Ferndale, Wash. |
3.89 |
Education |
| John Standeford |
Purdue |
WR |
Jr. |
Monrovia, Ind. |
3.51 |
Elementary Education |
| Erick Streelman |
Nevada |
TE |
Sr. |
Bellflower, Calif. |
3.97 |
Secondary Education |
| Ryan Johnson |
Montana State |
RB |
Sr. |
Fort Collins, Colo. |
3.99 |
Pre-Physical Therapy |
| Jason Wright |
Northwestern |
RB |
Jr. |
Diamond Bar, Calif |
3.25 |
Pre-Med |
| Travis Barclay |
Ball State |
OL |
Jr. |
Iowa City, Iowa |
3.98 |
Physics |
| Kyle Eaton |
Okla. State |
OL |
Gr. |
Rogers, Texas |
4.00 |
Management Information Systems |
| Joe Iorio |
Penn State |
OL |
Sr. |
Sylvania, Ohio |
3.70 |
Info & Science Technology |
| Rodney Reed |
LSU |
OL |
Jr. |
West Monroe, La. |
3.93 |
Accounting |
| Jon Stinchcomb |
Georgia |
OL |
Sr. |
Lilburn, Ga. |
3.73 |
Microbiology |
| Nick Browne |
TCU |
PK |
Jr. |
Garland, Texas |
4.00 |
Finance-Real Estate |
Verizon Academic All-America First-Team Defense
| Name |
School |
Pos. |
Year |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major |
| Jordan Carstens |
Iowa State |
DL |
Jr. |
Bagley, Iowa |
3.60 |
Agricultural Business |
| Vince Crochunis |
Pittsburgh |
DL |
So. |
Schuylkill Haven, Pa. |
3.78 |
Political Science |
| Jon Montoya |
Montana State |
DL |
Jr. |
Brandon, S.D. |
3.60 |
Elementary Education |
| Matt Walters |
Miami (Fla.) |
DL |
Sr. |
Melbourne, Fla. |
3.45 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Hunter Hillenmeyer |
Vanderbilt |
LB |
Sr. |
Nashville, Tenn. |
3.79 |
Economics/Human & Organizational Development |
Eric Pauly |
Colorado State |
LB |
Jr. |
Conway Springs, Kan. |
3.78 |
Bus. Admin./Computer Info. Systems |
| Jonathan Vilma |
Miami (Fla.) |
LB |
Jr. |
Coral Gables, Fla. |
3.34 |
Finance |
| Mark Kasmer |
Dayton |
DB |
Sr. |
Brecksville, Ohio |
3.94 |
Computer Engineering |
| Brian Lowder |
Western Kent. |
DB |
Jr. |
Bowling Green, Ky. |
4.00 |
Government/Sociology |
| Hadley Prince |
McNeese St. |
DB |
Sr. |
Sulphur, La. |
3.61 |
Agricultural Science |
| Justin Rosato |
Monmouth |
DB |
Sr. |
Old Bridge, N.J. |
3.88 |
Business Finance |
| Dan Dyke |
Georgia Tech |
P |
Sr. |
Winter Springs, Fla. |
3.84 |
Electrical Engineering |
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