University of Memphis Athletics
Derek Clenin and Rusty Clayton Receive Academic Honors
Nov 10, 2005 | Football
Nov. 10, 2005
MEMPHIS, TENN. - Junior defensive back Derek Clenin and junior deep snapper Rusty Clayton have been named to the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District second-team as released by the national organization today.
This is the first nomination for Clenin, and the second for Clayton. Clayton, a native of Sumrall, Miss., was selected as a first-team all-district member last year.
Clayton has been instrumental in Memphis' kicking game, having served as the snapper for Lou Groza Award candidate Stephen Gostkowski for the last three years. He has not muffed a snap for PATs, punts or FGs in three years. He is a highly-reliable snapper for punter Michael Gibson, who is averaging 44.8 yards on 40 punts this season. He has been named to the Tiger 3.0 Club for five of his six semesters, and was listed on the prestigious Tiger Academic 30 List for four semesters. Clayton has been a member of the U of M's Dean's List for three semesters, and garnered a 4.0 grade point average in Fall 2003 and Spring 2004. In Conference USA, he has been honored with the Commissioner's Academic Medal in 2003, and was selected to the Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2003, 2004 and 2005.
A native of Memphis, Tenn., Clenin came to the Tigers as a walk-on from MUS. He was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career after recording his first career fumble recovery and first career interception in an upset win over UTEP. Both the fumble recovery and the interception led to Memphis scores in the win. Clenin returned the interception 26 yards. He has played in all eight games this season, and had his first collegiate start against UCF. This season, he also totals 16 tackles, 13 of which are solo stops. Clenin received the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal in 2004, and was named to the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll in 2004 and 2005. He has also been listed on the Tiger 3.0 Club all four semesters, and was honored to the U of M Dean's List three semesters.
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America® teams in 12 programs: football, women's volleyball, men's soccer, women's soccer, men's basketball, women's basketball, baseball, softball, men's track & field/cross country, women's track & field/cross country, men's at-large and women's at-large. A first team, second team and third team are selected in both the University (Division I and I-AA) and College (Division II, III and NAIA) Divisions. Football consists of just first and second teams.
To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Division I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.
ESPN the Magazine is in its second year as the exclusive corporate sponsor of the Academic All-America program.
Listed below are the University Division winners for District 4:
FIRST TEAM
Mahan, Jon TENNESSEE TECH Punter Stanton, Drew MICHIGAN STATE Quarterback Avant, Jason MICHIGAN Receiver Gonzalez, Anthony OHIO STATE Receiver Scheffler, Tony WESTERN MICHIGAN Tight End Schnittker, Brandon OHIO STATE Running Back White Jr., Stan OHIO STATE Running Back Lane, Hayden KENTUCKY Offensive Line Morris, Chris MICHIGAN STATE Offensive Line Niebylski, Gordon MICHIGAN STATE Offensive Line Culp, Jon BOWLING GREEN STATE Offensive Line McNulty, Ryan DAYTON Offensive Line Begley, Taylor KENTUCKY Kicker Cramer, Brandon DAYTON Defensive Back Huffman, Antoine KENTUCKY Defensive Back Smith, Eric MICHIGAN STATE Defensive Back McMahan, Chad TENNESSEE-MARTIN, UNIVERSITY OF Defensive Back Ryans, DeMeco ALABAMA, UNIVERSITY OF Linebacker Sessler, Jon KENT STATE UNIVERSITY Linebacker Hutzelman, David MIAMI UNIVERSITY Linebacker Richardson, Jordan AUSTIN PEAY STATE UNIVERSITY Defensive Line Bazuin, Daniel CENTRAL MICHIGAN Defensive Line Thaler, Mike BOWLING GREEN STATE Defensive Line Glavin, John MIAMI UNIVERSITY Defensive Line
SECOND TEAM Bliss, Kody AUBURN Punter Brohm, Brian LOUISVILLE Quarterback Obomanu, Ben AUBURN Receiver Jackson, Earnest CINCINNATI Receiver Schmall, John DAYTON Tight End Verhoff, Steve DAYTON Running Back McGee, Jabari MOREHEAD STATE Running Back Clayton, Rusty MEMPHIS Offensive Line Tunney, Eric CENTRAL MICHIGAN Offensive Line Smith, Rob TENNESSEE Offensive Line Lichtensteiger, Kory BOWLING GREEN STATE Offensive Line Nystrom, Drew BOWLING GREEN STATE Offensive Line Jewell, Ryan YOUNGSTOWN STATE Offensive Line Wellock, Andrew EASTERN MICHIGAN Kicker Herring, Will AUBURN UNIVERSITY Defensive Back Burke, Steve MIAMI UNIVERSITY Defensive Back Clenin, Derek MEMPHIS Defensive Back Rumph, Marion WESTERN KENTUCKY Defensive Back Hoppe, John DAYTON Linebacker Collins, Matt ALABAMA Linebacker Keith, Thomas CENTRAL MICHIGAN Linebacker Wilson, Drew AUSTIN PEAY STATE Defensive Line Scholes, Justin YOUNGSTOWN STATE Defensive Line Gagnon-Gordillo, Jean-Olivier EASTERN MICHIGAN Defensive Line Dugarte, Anthony KENT STATE Defensive Line
