Three Tartans Named Academic All-America

Nov. 30 - (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - Carnegie Mellon University football players Aaron Lewis (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont), Trent Sisson (Novi, Mich./Novi) and Brian Freeman (Independence, Ohio/Padua Franciscan) earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors sponsored by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) for their outstanding performances as student-athletes this season.

Lewis, a senior co-captain, receives first team honors for the second consecutive season after being an Academic All-District choice following his sophomore year. A business administration major with a 3.93 grade point average, Lewis led the sixth-ranked scoring defense in Division III (9.9 points-per-game) with 89 tackles, five interceptions and tied for the team lead with three forced fumbles. The defensive back, a finalist for the Draddy Award, better known as the “Academic Heisman,” also received an invitation this week to play for the United States team against Mexico in the 36th Aztec Bowl.

Sisson and Freeman each earned second-team honors as both were selected to the Academic All-America team for the first time. 

Sisson, a linebacker majoring in business administration with a finance track, has a 3.90 grade point average while leading the team in sacks (5.0) and tying Lewis for the team-lead in forced fumbles and pass break-ups with five. The 6’0, 215 lb junior finished third on the team with 82 tackles as Carnegie Mellon’s defense posted three shutouts including a 21-0 victory over Millsaps College in the opening round of the Division III playoffs.

As a sophomore starting right tackle, Freeman helped Carnegie Mellon establish the eighth most potent running game in Division III (260 yards per game). The chemical and biomedical engineer was honored for his 4.0 grade point average and for playing an instrumental role in the Tartans dominating rushing attack which produced the first pair of running backs, juniors Travis Sivek (Traverse City, Mich./St. Francis) and Robert Gimson (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./The Benjamin School), to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. Besides leading the association in rushing the Tartans recorded an association-best 25.7 points-per-game.