Football Places Five on Academic All-District Team

Nov. 5 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – Five members of the Carnegie Mellon University football team were named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team Thursday, November 5. The four first team honorees will move onto the national ballot for recognition on the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America team. To be nominated for the award, a student-athlete must be a starter or significant reserve and maintain a GPA of 3.3 or better.

Carnegie Mellon is part of District II which is comprised of non-NCAA Division I Colleges in the states of Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

Repeating as a first team selection is senior defensive back Joshua Kresge (East Greenville, Pa./Upper Perkiomen).  Joining Kresge on the first team is junior punter Richard Pattison (Rocky River, Ohio), a second team honoree last season, senior offensive lineman Ryan Chehanske (Freehold, N.J./St. John Vianney) and junior fullback Justin Pratt (Bethel Park, Pa.).  Senior wide out Brendan Howe (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Point South) was the fifth Tartan honored as he was selected to the second team.

Kresge is a business administration major and has a 3.64 GPA.  The senior currently ranks fourth on the school’s all-time career interception list with 11 and leads the team in 2009 with two picks and three fumble recoveries.  He was a 2009 semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.  Pattison has placed 13 of his punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line and ranks nationally with an average of 39.7 yards per punt.  Earlier this season, the 3.95 chemical engineering major, recorded a career-long 68-yard punt at Kenyon.  

Chehanske was honored as an offensive lineman.  The chemical and biomedical engineering major carries a 3.70 GPA in the classroom, while playing a major part in helping the Tartans have a nationally ranked rushing attack, as the team averages 184.4 yards per game.  Chehanske also plays a factor in the play of the fourth Tartan on the first team, Pratt.  The junior mechanical engineering major has a 3.72 GPA and leads the team in rushing and scoring with 581 yards and 10 touchdowns.      

Howe is having a career year hauling in 34 passes for 452 yards and three touchdowns.  The senior has also passed for another score.  Howe is a business administration major with a 3.46 GPA.