Jan. 28, 2000

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Ten University of Miami student-athletes were selected to the 1999 BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team announced Friday by the league. Miami, along with Boston College and West Virginia, led the league with the most honorees.

Pat Del Vecchio (Senior, C, Chemistry, Miami, Fla.), Joaquin Gonzalez (Sophomore, OT, Marketing, Miami, Fla.), Dan Joseph (Redshirt Fr., S, Undecided, Pembroke Pines, Fla.), Andre King (Junior, WR, Business Management, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Will McPartland (Junior, FB, Environmental Planning, Carbondale, Pa.), Jeff Popovich (Senior, SS, Biomedical Engineering, Tucson, Ariz.), Michael Stewart (Junior, WR, Finance, Cranston, R.I.), Matt Walters (Redshirt Fr.,DT, Mechanical Engineering, Melbourne, Fla.), Jim Wilson (Redshirt Fr., DE, Biomedical Engineering, Davie, Fla.), and Ephraim Wittman (Redshirt Fr., RB, Broadcast Journalism, Miami, Fla.) represent the Hurricanes on the squad.

Del Vecchio, Popovich and Stewart were three of seven BIG EAST players honored for the third time in their careers. Gonzalez, King and McPartland were three of 15 players to receive back-to-back selections. The BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team recognizes letterwinners who have posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better.

Student-athletes who have completed a minimum of two semesters of academic work are eligible. It is the ninth consecutive season the BIG EAST has honored its student-athletes with an academic honor roll.