Stephen F. Austin

Dec. 18, 2002

PLANO, Texas ? All seven football-playing universities landed at least two players on the 2002 Southland Conference All-Academic Football team. Nicholls State University led the way with six selections, while McNeese State University, which is preparing to play in Friday?s NCAA I-AA national championship game, had five selections.

The Southland all-academic teams, voted on by the head coaches, sports information directors and academic/compliance administrators, honor those student-athletes who earned at least a 3.00 grade point average while serving as a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletic credentials. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing within the institution and must have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution.

2002 Southland Conference All-Academic Team

Offense
POS    NAME                   UNIVERSITY    Cl.     HOMETOWN           GPA, MAJOR
QB    Josh Son              Nicholls State  Jr.    Baton Rouge, La.   3.22, Health and PE
RB    Marcus Trahan         McNeese State   Sr.    Sulphur, La.       3.39, Health and Human Performance
RB    Phillip Thomas        Nicholls State  Jr.    Baton Rouge, La.   3.00, Business Admin.
FB    Darren Oustalet       McNeese State   Sr.    Long Beach, Miss.  3.32, Marketing
WR   Beau Robertson         Southwest Texas  So.   Buda, Texas        3.53, Wildlife Biology
WR    Devin Freeman         Southwest Texas  So.   Tyler, Texas       3.50, Exercise and Sports Science
TE    Jason Carr          Sam Houston State  Sr.   Sealy, Texas       3.00, Criminal Justice
OL    Kenyardia Johnson     Nicholls State   Sr.   Grenada, Miss.     3.27, Mass Communications
OL    Billy Williams      Sam Houston State  Sr.   Marshall, Texas    3.20, Accounting/Finance
OL      David Phillips      Stephen F. Austin Jr.   Kemp, Texas        3.20, Chemistry
OL    Ryan Thibodaux        Nicholls State   Sr.   Napoleonville, La. 3.54, Government
OL       Luke Goode            Stephen F. Austin So.   Palestine, Texas    3.44, Finance
K     Justin Martinez      Southwest Texas   Sr.   Arlington, Texas    3.49, Finance

Defense
POS  NAME                      UNIVERSITY    Cl.     HOMETOWN      GPA, MAJOR
DL      Michael Saumell-Baston    Sam Houston State   Jr.      Conroe, Texas             3.39, Accounting
DL      Troy Phillips                     Sam Houston State    Jr.      Coldspring, Texas       3.00, Criminal Justice
DL      Michael Swansey              McNeese State           So.     Freeport, Texas           3.26, Engineering
LB      Roy Farias                        McNeese State           Jr.      Orangefield, Texas       3.02, Health and Human Performance
LB      Lester Magee                     Nicholls State            Sr.     Collins, Miss.              3.19, Manufacturing Technology
DB     Josh Burton                       Northwestern State    So.     Bossier City, La.         3.42, Health and Exercise Science
DB     Haneef Haaq                     Jacksonville State       So.     Huntsville, Ala.           3.60, Undeclared
DB     Neil Ponstein                     Northwestern State    Jr.      Chalmette, La.              3.31, Business Administration
DB     Hadley Prince                    McNeese State           Sr.      Sulphur, La.                3.61, Agriculture Science
P        Richie Rhodes                   Jacksonville State       So.     Alexander City, Ala.    3.25, Undeclared
RS     David Plaisance                  Nicholls State            So.     Baton Rouge, La.         3.20, General Studies

Note: Three defensive linemen and two linebackers were nominated