Jan. 26, 2006

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - University of Maryland football players Adam Podlesh and Josh Wilson were each named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Football Team today as announced by Commissioner John Swofford. The honor is the first for Wilson while Podlesh made the team for the second consecutive year.

Podlesh (3.17 cum GPA, Marketing) finished last season second in the league in punting with a 43.6-yard average while Wilson (3.29 cum GPA, Marketing) was one of the leaders of the defense from his cornerback position, recording 73 tackles and an interception.

Six players who earned first, second team, or honorable mention All-Conference honors this past season secured spots on the 2005 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Football Team. In addition, two freshmen All-Americans earned berths on the honors team.

To be eligible for consideration, a player must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

Players earning All-Conference honors this past fall were Podlesh, Virginia Tech center Will Montgomery and tight end Jeff King, Miami defensive back Kelly Jennings, and Virginia defensive back Marcus Hamilton. Florida State center David Castillo was an honorable mention selection. Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford and Miami defensive back Kenny Phillips earned first team Freshman All-America recognition in 2005.

Jennings, a first-team All-America selection by CNN/SI and CBS Sportsline and a second-team pick by AP, led the league in passes defended (1.33) while Hamilton led the conference in interceptions with six. Podlesh was second in the ACC and 13th nationally in punting (43.6).

Weatherford threw for an ACC freshman record 3,208 yards and became the first freshman in league annals to lead the conference in total offense, averaging 244.6 yards per game. Phillips was the second among ACC freshmen in tackles with 67.

North Carolina's Doug Justice, a four-time academic team selection, heads up a list of 13 players that are repeaters from last year's academic team, including four players - Georgia Tech's Chris Reis, Podlesh, Hamilton and Castillo - who earned berths on the academic team for a third-straight year.

The 2005 All-ACC Academic Football team is as follows:

Name, Class, School
James Anderson, Sr., Virginia Tech
Patrick Bailey, So., Duke
Lavdrim Bauta, Sr., Duke
Travis Bell, So., Georgia Tech
Andre Brown, Fr., NC State
Ricky Brown, Sr., Boston College
David Castillo, Sr., Florida State
Brendan Dewan, Sr., Duke
Mike Dowling, Sr., Duke
Louis Frazier, Jr., Wake Forest
Marcus Hamilton, Jr., Virginia
Kelly Jennings, Sr., Miami
Doug Justice, Sr., North Carolina
Jeff King, Sr., Virginia Tech
Tyler Krieg, Sr., Duke
William Lee, Jr., NC State
Paddy Lynch, Jr., Boston College
Danny McGrath, Jr., Virginia Tech
Mark Miller, Sr., Virginia
Will Montgomery, Sr., Virginia Tech
Eli Nichols, Sr., Duke
Greg Olsen, So., Miami
Brandon Pace, Jr., Virginia Tech
Jon Peattie, Jr., Miami
Justin Phillips, Sr., North Carolina
Kenny Phillips, Fr., Miami
Adam Podlesh, Jr., Maryland
Chris Reis, Sr., Georgia Tech
Garrett Reynolds, Fr., North Carolina
Andy Roland, Sr., Duke
Matt Rumsey, So., Duke
Tom Santi, So., Virginia
Zac Selmon, So., Wake Forest
Antone Smith, Fr., Florida State
Kurt Smith, Sr., Virginia
Jeremy Thompson, So., Wake Forest
Kevin Tuminello, So., Georgia Tech
Andrew Wasserman, Sr., North Carolina
Drew Weatherford, Fr., Florida State
Josh Wilson, Jr., Maryland
Anthony Wollschlager, Jr., Miami