16 Cougars Highlight All-MWC Academic Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Mountain West Conference today announced its All-Academic team for the 2002 football season, led by BYU with a league-leading 16 student-athletes. This year's squad is comprised of 87 student-athletes, including 43 repeat qualifiers consisting of 4 four-time honorees, 15 three--time selections and 24 named for the second consecutive year.

BYU placed a conference-high 16 student-athletes on the Academic All-MWC team, followed by Wyoming (14), Colorado State (13), New Mexico (12), Utah (11), UNLV (9), Air Force (8), and San Diego State (4).

The Academic All-MWC team is highlighted by the league's first four-time members; Jordan Gross (Utah), Joe Haro (UNLV), Toby Smeltzer (UNLV), and John Wilson (Wyoming).

A total of eight players from the 2002 All-Mountain West Conference teams garnered academic honors, including first-team selections Joey Ashcroft (Air Force), Joel Dreessen (Colorado State), Jordan Gross (Utah), Kassim Osgood (San Diego State), and Brady Poppinga (BYU). Second-team members included Mark Dreyer (Colorado State), Joe Haro (UNLV) and Eric Pauly (Colorado State).

To be eligible for selection student-athletes must have completed at least one academic term at the member institution while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and be a starter or significant contributor.

Mountain West Conference All-Academic Team
BYU Honorees
PLAYER              CL     MAJOR
Justin Andersen*    Sr	    Communications
Bryant Atkinson     Fr	    Management
Toby Christensen**  Jr	    Communications
Logan Deans         Fr	    Theater and Media Arts
John Denney         So	    Management
Scott Jackson       Jr	    International Studies
Ryan Keele*         Sr	    Management
Bryan Kehl          Fr	    Management
Michael Madsen      Sr	    Health Science
Daniel Marquardt    So	    Management
Kip Nielsen         Jr	    Spanish
Andrew Ord**        Sr	    Construction Management
Brady Poppinga*     So	    Management
Brandon Stephens    Jr	    Construction Management
Kyle Wilson         Jr	    International Studies
Bill Wright*        Jr	    Management
** - three-time member
* - on last year's Academic All-MWC Team