Peyton Manning named to GTE Academic All-America Football Team; Three Players from M.I.T. make College Division Squad

STAMFORD, Conn., -- Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning was named to the GTE Academic All-America Football Team in voting announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A graduate student from New Orleans, La., Manning, one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy, has a 3.56 Grade Point Average (GPA) as a sports administration major. He was named the University Division's GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year, which goes to the person who "best represents the qualities of an Academic All-America student-athlete."

"It is a tremendous honor to have been selected as the quarterback on this year's GTE Academic All-America Football Team," Manning said. "I have strived to keep the proper balance between academics and athletics during my years at Tennessee. I hope people understand that football is only a fraction of my life and that staying in school for my senior year was the best decision I could make."

In leading the Volunteers to an 11-1 record and the SEC title, Manning completed 61 per cent of his passes for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns. Tennessee will face Nebraska in the Orange Bowl on January 2.

Five other players in the University Division repeated as first team members -- wide receiver David Patterson of New Mexico State, a junior from Artesia, N.M. (3.97/math); offensive lineman Jay Korth of Wyoming, a senior from Battle Creek, Neb. (3.91/mechanical engineering); defensive back Levi Gillen of Tulsa, a senior from Leotl, Kan. (3.91/mechanical engineering); linebacker Daryl Bush of Florida State, a senior from Altamonte Springs, Fla. (3.86/athletic administration); and defensive lineman Grant Wistrom of Nebraska, a senior from Webb City, Mo. (3.43/pre-pharmacy).

A trio of defensive players from M.I.T. made the first team in the College Division: defensive back Duane Stevens, a senior from Scio, Ore.; linebacker Mike Butville, a senior from Levittown, Pa.; and defensive lineman Brad Gray, a senior from Columbia, S.C. Gray maintained a perfect 5.0 GPA (5.0 scale) as a chemical engineering major and earned the division's Team Member of the year honors.

The University Division first team also includes two players from Eastern Washington who will face Youngstown State in the Division I-AA semifinals this weekend -- wide receiver Jeff Ogden, a senior from Snohomish, Wash., and defensive lineman Steve Mattson, a senior from Naselle, Wash.

In addition to Stevens and Gray, the College Division has two other members who repeated on the first team -- offensive lineman Matt Hertzler of Chapman (3.80/exercise physiology); and punter Bryan Moorman of Pittsburg (Kan.) St. (3.96/history).

The GTE Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams prior to being voted upon the national level. CoSIDA has been selecting Academic All-America Teams since 1952.

With revenues of more than $21 million in 1996, GTE is one of the largest publicly held telecommunications companies in the world. In the United States, GTE offers local and wireless service in 29 states and long-distance service in all 50 states. GTE was the first among its peers to offer "one-stop shopping" for local, long-distance and Internet access services. Outside the United States, where GTE has operated for more than 40 years, the company serves approximately 7 million customers. GTE is also a leader in government and defense communications systems and equipment, directories and telecommunications-based information services, and aircraft-passenger telecommunications.

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Following is a list of the GTE Academic All-America Football Teams in the University and College Divisions.