Feb. 13, 2007

GREENSBORO, N.C. - Two University of Maryland football players - seniors Adam Podlesh and Josh Wilson - secured spots on the 2006 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic team, the league office announced today. There were 37 student-athletes on the team.

Podlesh, a four-time All-ACC punter, earned a spot on the team for the fourth-straight year, while Wilson, an honorable mention All-America choice in 2006, was on the squad for the second-consecutive season.

Podlesh and Wilson graduated in December with business/marketing degrees and both have professional football aspirations.

They played in the Senior Bowl last month and have been invited to the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., which kicks off next week and features over 300 of the top professional prospects in the country. Former teammate Stephon Heyer will join them.

The only player in school history to earn all-conference honors four straight years and one of only two (Ralph Lary [1977-80]) to be named academic all-league four times, Podlesh started all 48 games in his career. In addition, his career average of 43.1 ranks second in school history and ninth in ACC annals.

Podlesh, a native of Pittsford, N.Y., ranked among the top 25 nationally in punting average in each of his final three seasons. He was also a two-time semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, given to the top punter in the nation.

A two-year starter, Wilson played in 46 of 48 career games, including 28 starts. He ended his career as one of the most complete cornerbacks in the conference, earning All-ACC honors and honorable mention All-America accolades from Pro Football Weekly in 2006.

Wilson ranked 11th nationally in kickoff returns (27.3 ypr) in 2006 and set the single-season school record for return yards (847). That mark was the sixth highest single-season total in ACC history.

The native of Upper Marlboro, Md., Wilson also captured the 2006 James Tatum Award, as the top student-athlete among football players in the ACC.