SPOKANE, Wash. (Nov. 4) -- A total of seven football student-athletes from Central Washington University have been named to the 2008 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference Team, announced Tuesday by the conference office.
The Wildcats' total of seven academic all-conference selections is second-most in the five-member conference. Dixie State had nine selections, while Western Oregon joined Central with seven picks. Western Washington had six selections and no members from Humboldt State were named to the team.
Included among the Wildcats' seven selections are a league-high four with cumulative grade-point averages above 3.50. Sophomore linebacker Adam Bighill (Montesano, Wash.), who has yet to declare a major, has the highest GPA of Central's selections at 3.69. Junior teammate Johnny Spevak (Edgewood, Wash./Puyallup HS), who is a senior academically and is an accounting major, carries a 3.68 GPA while sophomore linebacker Anthony Le (Lacey, Wash./Timberline HS) is close behind with a 3.67 GPA as a law and justice major. Senior quarterback Mike Reilly (Kalispell, Mont./Flathead HS) boasts a 3.59 GPA as a mechanical engineering technology major.
Also earning academic all-conference honors from Central Washington were junior kicker/punter Garrett Rolsma (University Place, Wash./Curtis HS), junior linebacker Buddy Wood (Chattaroy, Wash./Riverside HS), and senior tight end Jared Bronson (Kent, Wash./Thomas Jefferson HS). Rolsma is an athletic training major with a 3.46 GPA, while Wood carries a 3.36 GPA in the construction management program. Bronson, who like Reilly is a National Football League prospect, carries a 3.32 GPA in exercise science.
Six of the seven Wildcats named to this year's GNAC Academic All-Conference Team previously earned academic all-conference recognition from the now-defunct North Central Conference in 2006 and/or 2007. Spevak, Reilly, Rolsma, and Wood are all receiving academic all-conference accolades for a third consecutive season.
For student-athletes to earn academic all-conference honors, they must carry a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average, be a current letterwinner, and be in at least their second year of competition at their current institution. True freshmen, redshirt freshmen, and first-year transfers are not eligible for the award.
Central Washington, which has claimed its fourth GNAC championship in the six-year football history of the conference, looks to wrap up an undefeated league season and a second consecutive NCAA Division II postseason berth this Saturday (Nov. 8) as it hosts archrival Western Washington at Tomlinson Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon, with a pre-game ceremony to recognize 11 departing seniors.
2008 GREAT NORTHWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Adam Bighill, Central Washington (Undeclared, So., 3.69, Montesano, Wash.)
++Johnny Spevak, Central Washington (Accounting, Jr., 3.68, Edgewood, Wash.)
+Anthony Le, Central Washington (Law & Justice, So., 3.67, Lacey, Wash.)
++Mike Reilly, Central Washington (Mechanical Engineering, Sr., 3.59, Kalispell, Mont.)
++Garrett Rolsma, Central Washington (Athletic Training, Jr., 3.46, University Place, Wash.)
++Buddy Wood, Central Washington (Construction Management, Jr., 3.36, Chattaroy, Wash.)
+Jared Bronson, Central Washington (Exercise Science, Sr., 3.32, Federal Way, Wash.)
Trevor Nichols, Dixie State (Biology, So., 3.90, Ogden, Utah)
Skyler Ence, Dixie State (Business, Jr., 3.65, St. George, Utah)
Judd Thompson, Dixie State (Communications, Jr., 3.63, Crystal Lake, Ill.)
Marston Sawyers, Dixie State (Communications, Jr., 3.58, Salt Lake City, Utah)
Geoff Cox, Dixie State (Business, Sr., 3.48, St. George, Utah)
Richard May, Dixie State (Communications, Jr., 3.41, Rockland, Idaho)
Seth Mortensen, Dixie State (Biology, Jr., 3.37, Idaho Falls, Idaho)
Daniel Sumko, Dixie State (General Studies, So., 3.31, Perry, Utah)
Nash Fowler, Dixie State (General Studies, So., 3.28, Lindon, Utah)
Jake Zeutenhorst, Western Oregon (Business, So., 3.49, Selah, Wash.)
Onest Robert, Western Oregon (English Writing, So., 3.38, Portland, Ore.)
*Andy Douglas, Western Oregon (Criminal Justice, Jr., 3.37, Aloha, Ore.)
*Sean Fullerton, Western Oregon (Exercise Science, Jr., 3.26, West Linn, Ore.)
*Juan Rodriguez, Western Oregon (Biology, Jr., 3.25, Hermiston, Ore.)
Spencer Perry, Western Oregon (Law Enforcement, So., 3.24, Salem, Ore.)
Sy Cullen, Western Oregon (Political Science, Sr., 3.21, Kapolei, Hawaii)
+Anthony Zackery, Western Washington (Business Administration/Finance, So., 3.94, Spokane, Wash.)
Casey Hamlett, Western Washington (Business Administration, So., 3.65, Edmonds, Wash.)
++Justin Mundell, Western Washington (Business Administration, Jr., 3.46, Maple Valley, Wash.)
++Danny Cumming, Western Washington (History, Jr., 3.41, Friday Harbor, Wash.)
Nick Rocco, Western Washington (General Studies, So., 3.22, Sammamish, Wash.)
Josh Lider, Western Washington (Pre-Physical Therapy, Jr., 3.20, Bellevue, Wash.)
*Repeater from GNAC Independent Team ... +2007 NCC Academic ... ++2006 and 2007 NCC Academic
