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UD’s Ben Cross named Academic All-American

3:51 p.m., Dec. 2, 2003--

Ben Cross

University of Delaware junior defensive end Ben Cross has been named to the Verizon/College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American football team.

Cross, one of just 48 NCAA Division I-A and Division I-AA scholar-athletes honored, was selected to the second team in a vote of NCAA member sports information directors.

To be eligible, scholar-athletes must carry a grade point average of 3.2 or higher and be a starter or key reserve for his team. A civil engineering major, Cross has a 3.93 grade point average, the seventh highest of all those named to the team.

Cross, who was named to the Verizon/CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic first team for the second straight season, becomes the eighth UD player to earn Academic All-American honors and the first since wide receiver Brett Veach was named to the second team in 2000.

UD’s last first team selection was Bob Depew in 1971 and 1972. Cross was one of just 15 NCAA Division I-AA players to make the team and was the only player from an Atlantic 10 Football Conference school to be honored.

A three-year letter winner, Cross has played in 12 games this season and has 25 tackles, including 10 solo stops, and 2.5 tackles for loss. He also leads the team with three fumble recoveries.

Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans

First team offense: QB Craig Krenzel (Ohio State); WR Kyler Randall (Eastern Washington), John Standeford (Purdue); TE John Frieser (Colgate); RB Mike Hilliard (Duquesne), Jason Wright (Northwestern); OL Travis Barclay (Ball State), Rob Droege (Missouri), Rodney Reed (LSU), Nick Sellett (Dayton), Jason Whaley (Western Carolina); K Nick Browne (TCU).

First team defense: DL Vince Crochunis (Pittsburgh), Jon Montoya (Montana State), Kevin Rooney (Cornell), Dan Stephens (Pittsburgh); LB Victor Camacho (Albany), Rich Scanlon (Syracuse), Craig Unger (Morehead State); DB Doug Jones (Dayton), Nathan Jones (Rutgers), Morgan Scalley (Utah), Scott Thiessen (Youngstown State); P Mark Gould (Northern Arizona).

Second team offense: QB Matt Mauck (LSU); WR Shaun Feldeisen (Connecticut), P.J. Fleck (Northern Illinois); TE Craig Jarrett (Bowling Green); RB Judd Davies (Nebraska), Renaldo Works (Oklahoma); OL Dave Costlow (Penn State), Ryan Lilja (Kansas State), Brandon Mason (Elon), Jerry Reith (Arkansas), Nick Romeo (Syracuse); PK Matt Sharpe (VMI).

Second team defense: DL Ben Cross (Delaware), Ryan Carter (Air Force), Eric Dearth (Dayton), David Parks (Albany); LB Eric Pauly (Colorado State), Dontarrious Thomas (Auburn), Jonathan Vilma (Miami, Fla.); DB Jeff Backes (Northwestern), Justin Isom (Minnesota), Jim Leonhard (Wisconsin), Pat Ricketts (Nebraska); P Robert Wallis (Mississippi State).

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