GTE selects Academic All-America Team

STAMFORD, Conn.,  -- Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel of the University of Florida was named the University Division GTE Academic All-America Football Team Member of the Year for the second straight year in voting announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A senior from Fort Walton, Fla., Wuerffel is among the student-athletes named to the GTE Academic All-AmericaFootball Team, which features many players who made a major impact on the 1996 season in every collegiate division.

The GTE Academic All-AmericaTeam Member of the Year is an honor that goes to the individual who best represents the qualities of an Academic All-Americastudent-athlete. In leading the Gators to an 11-1 record and the SEC championship, Wuerffel completed 207 of 360 passes (58%) for 3,625 yards and 39 touchdowns. He also maintained a 3.75 GradePoint Average (GPA) as a journalism/public relations major. Opposing Wuerffel in the Nokia Sugar Bowl will be Florida State linebackerDaryl Bush, a junior from Altamonte Springs, Fla. (3.85/business-finance).

Five other players in the University Division repeated as first team members -- wide receiver Kevin Lockett of Kansas State, a senior from Tulsa, Okla. (3.43/accounting);tight end Pat Fitzgerald of Texas, a senior from Agoura,Calif. (3.47/marketing); running back Tiki Barber of Virginia,a senior from Roanoke, Va. (3.36/commerce); linebacker Greg Bellisari of Ohio State, a senior from Boca Raton, Fla. (3.63/zoology);and defensive lineman Matt Keneley of USC, a senior from Laguna Hills, Calif. (3.74/public administration). Wuerffel, Fitzgerald and linebacker Grant Wistrom of Nebraska (3.52/pre-pharmacy) were also named to the Associated Press first team All-AmericaTeam.

The GTE Academic All-AmericaFootball Team for the College Division features quarterbackLon Erickson of Illinois-Wesleyan, the winner of the Gagliardi Award as Division III player of the year. A senior from Elburn,Ill., he had a 3.96 GPA as a business administration major and was named the college division GTE Academic All-AmericaFootball Team Member of the Year. Erickson completed 149 of 233 passes (64%) for 2,161 yards and 22 TD's and led his team to the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs.

The University Division first team includes nine Division I bowl participants -- Wuerffel, Bush, Fitzgerald, Barber, Bellisari, Wistrom, Lockett and Jason Johnson of Kansas State and Ryan Olson of Colorado; and two members of Division I-AA finalist Montana, Josh Branenand Blaine McElmurry. Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manningmade the second team.

The College Division has six repeat first team members -- Troy Harcey of Wisconsin-LaCrosse (3.74/education); Ryan Carpenter of Augustana (Ill.) (3.90/math/physics/computer science); David Lefere of Albion (3.60/economics &management;); Craig Anderson of Ohio Wesleyan (3.52/accounting); Brian Gilmore of Missouri-Rolla (3.91/ceramic engineering); and Justin Rice of Nebraska-Wesleyan (3.79/biology).

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.

GTE, one of the largest publicly held telecommunications companies in the world, has been the exclusive sponsor of the Academic All-America program since 1985.GTE is also the largest U.S.-based local telephone company and a leading cellular-service provider -- with wireline and wireless operations that form a market area covering about one-third of the country's population.

To extend its support of college athletics, GTE has recently become the Official Telecommunications Consultant to the NCAA as well as the Pacific-10, Big Ten and Big 12 conferences.

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

UNIVERSITY DIVISION FIRST TEAM

* GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year

UNIVERSITY DIVISION SECOND TEAM