West Virginia University linebacker Reed Williams, an All-BIG EAST performer, two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America selection and a member of the National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Team, has been chosen as the 2009 BIG EAST Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The selection was made by the conference's Academic Affairs Committee and is presented on the basis of academic credentials and athletic performance.
A graduate student from Moorefield, W.Va., Williams will receive a $2,000 scholarship, which may be applied to graduate or professional studies. The Conference also announced the 106 players who were chosen to the BIG EAST All-Academic Team.
Williams has been a three-year starter at middle linebacker for West Virginia. He was an All-BIG EAST Second Team selection in 2009 after he had 68 tackles, two sacks, six tackles for loss, and seven pass breakups and was chosen as the Mountaineers' defensive MVP.
Williams, who missed the entire 2008 season with injuries to both shoulders, was the Defensive MVP of the 2007-08 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl after helping the Mountaineers to a 48-28 win against Oklahoma. He was a member of two BIG EAST championship teams, two teams that won BCS bowl games, three New Years Day bowl-winning teams and four bowl-qualifying teams.
In addition to his on-field accolades, Williams earned ESPN The Magazine Academic-All America First Team honors in 2007 and was named to the Second Team in 2009. He was one of 16 national finalists for the 2009 William V. Campbell Trophy as the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame national scholar-athlete of the year. He was named to West Virginia's Dean's List in each of his five academic years and is a four-time BIG EAST All-Academic selection.
Williams is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key national honor society. He has volunteered his time in a number of community service endeavors, including the West Virginia Boys and Girls Club, Special Olympics, and a Marion County Division of State Police child advocacy fundraiser.
Williams is the third West Virginia player in the last six years to be chosen as the BIG EAST Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Former Mountaineer offensive tackle Garin Justice won in 2005 and linebacker Jay Henry was the 2006 winner.
The BIG EAST Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is one of a number of scholarships presented by the BIG EAST Conference during the 2009-10 academic year. Thirty-two student-athletes (one male and one female from each of the BIG EAST's 16 member institutions) will receive postgraduate scholarships as the winners of their respective institutions' Scholar-Athlete Award. The conference also names a male and female BIG EAST Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The winners of the institutional, football and basketball awards are then eligible for the BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, which provides an additional postgraduate scholarship to one male and one female student-athlete.
2009 BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team
The 106 members of the 2009 BIG EAST All-Academic Football Team were nominated by the respective institutions. To be nominated, a player must have a cumulative grade-point index of at least 3.0, have completed a minimum of two semesters of academic work.
CINCINNATI
Chazz AndersonJr. QB Pickerington, Ohio Communications
Alex DelisiJr. LB Clarkston, Mich. Finance
T.J. Franklin Jr. OL Maryville, Tenn. Criminal Justice
Drew FreyJr. DB Wilmington, Ohio Agricultural Engineering Technology
Dan GiordanoSo. DL Frankfort, Ill. Pre-Business Administration
John GoebelSr. RB Milford, Mich. Marketing
Alex Hoffman Jr. OL Indianapolis, Ind. Biological Sciences
Sean HooeySo. OL Litchfield, Mich. Pre-Business Administration
Jeff LinkenbachSr. OL Sandusky, Ohio Finance
Collin McCafferSr. LB Maineville, Ohio Entrepreneurship
JK Schaffer So. LB Cincinnati, Ohio Psychology/Criminal Justice
Aaron WebsterSr. S Southfield, Mich. Criminal Justice
CONNECTICUT
Harris Agbor So. S Mesquite, Texas Political Science
John ApostolkosSr. TE Pittsford, N.Y. Sports & Leisure/Finance
Jimmy BennetRFr. OTAlexandria, Va. Undeclared
Derek ChardJr. TE Burlington, Conn. Finance
Marcus EasleySr. WRStratford, Conn. Sport Management
Robbie Frey Jr. RB Lehighton, Pa. History
Alex Kaiser Jr. TE Newington, Conn. Economics
Brad KanuchSr. WRJohnstown, Pa. Sports & Leisure
Alex LaMagdelaineSr. OGRumson, N.J. English/Economics
Corey ManningRFr. TETyrone, Ga. Undeclared
Alex Molina Jr. WRWaterford, Conn. Psychology
Emmanuel Omokro So. S Danbury, Conn. Sports & Leisure
Moe Petrus So. C St. Laurent, Que. Psychology
Alex Polito Jr. DT Reading, Pa. Communication Sciences
Dave Teggart So. K Northborough, Mass.Sports & Leisure
John Yurek So. S Greencastle, Pa.Biological Sciences
LOUISVILLE
Darius AshleyRFr. RB Cincinnati, Ohio Marketing
Justin BurkeJr. QB Lexington, Ky. Business Administration
Bobby BurnsJr. CB Spanaway, Wash.Justice Administration
Maurice ClarkSr. WR Lake Elsinore, Calif.Justice Administration
Drew DavisRFr.DT Fort Mitchell, Ky. Health and Human Performance
Herbert EggersRFr.LB Louisville, Ky. Undeclared
Adam FromanJr. QB Santa Rosa, Calif. Communications
Zach KiernanSo. DL Cold Spring, Ky. Health and Human Performance
Reinhold LeichtJr. LB Louisville, Ky. Health and Human Performance
Pete NochtaJr. TE Lexington, Ky. Marketing
Chris Philpott So.K Atlanta, Ga. Undeclared
Will Stein RFr.QB Louisville, Ky. Undeclared
Malcom TatumJr. DE Perkinston, Miss. Justice Administration
Joe TronzoSr. FB Louisville, Ky. Exercise Physiology
PITTSBURGH
Jonathan Baldwin So.WRAliquippa, Pa. Undecided
Lucas Briggs Jr.KMidland, Mich. Exercise Science
Myles Caragein So.DTPittsburgh, Pa. Mathematics
Pat Costello RFr.PGreesburg, Pa.Civil Engineering
Steve Dell Sr. LBFort Lauderdale, Fla. Social Work
Adam GunnSr. LB Vandergrift, Pa. Public and International Affairs
Henry HynoskiSo. FB Elysburg, Pa. Marketing
Andrew JanockoSo. QB Clearfield, Pa. History
John MaleckiSr. OG Murrysville, Pa. Marketing
Michael Shanahan RFr. WRNorth Huntington, Pa. Undecided
RUTGERS
Ryan Blaszczyk Sr. C Medford Lakes, N.J. Criminal Justice
Teddy DellagannaJr. P Templeton, Calif. Communication
Andrew DePaolaSr. WR Parkton, Md. Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Jim Dumont Jr. LB Newtown, Pa. Management
Art Forst So. OL Manasquan, N.J. Political Science
Pat Kivlehan So. DB West Nyack, N.Y. Undeclared
Jabu LovelaceSr. QB Tenafly, N.J. Marketing
Devin McCourtySr. DB Nanuet, N.Y. Sociology
Jeff Minemyer Sr. TE Ebensburg, Pa. Management
Andres MoralesSr. FB Bethlehem, Pa. American Studies
Domenic NataleSr. QB Sea Girt, N.J. Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Ramy NubaniSr. DB Upper St. Clair, Pa. Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Marlon RomelusSr. OL Floral Park, N.Y. Economics
Clem Udovich Jr. LS Annandale, N.J. Communication
Scott Vallone RFr. DL Central Islip, N.Y. Undeclared
USF
Nate Allen Sr. S Cape Coral, Fla. Communication
Delbert Alvarado Sr. P Tampa, Fla. Communication
Maikon Bonani So. K Lake Wales, Fla. Physical Education
Colby Erskin Sr. WR Seminole, Fla. Criminology
Chaz Hine So. OL Lithia, Fla. Business Administration
Michael Lanaris RFr. LB Lake Mary, Fla. Business Administration
Evan Landi RFr. QB/WR Coral Springs, Fla. Communication
Joel Miller So. RB Tampa, Fla. Communication
Patrick Richardsn So. WR Pensacola, Fla. Criminology
Armando SanchezRFr. LB St. Petersburg, Fla. Communication
Eric Schwartz Jr. K Hudson, Fla. Secondary Education
Jacob Sims Jr. OL Winter Park, Fla. Business Administration
Tyler Stowell RFr. WR St. Petersburg, Fla. Secondary Education
SYRACUSE
Ian Allport So. OL Pulaski, N.Y. Biology
Torrey Ball So. DE Athens, Ga. Communication and Rhetorical Studies
Adam Harris So. LB Towanda, Pa. Undeclared
Rob Long Jr. P Downingtown, Pa. Marketing Management
Jim McKenzie Sr. C Springfield, Pa. Biochemistry
Ryan Nassib So. QB West Chester, Pa. Undeclared
Robert NievesSr. FB Rye, N.Y. Biology
Greg Paulus Gr. QB Syracuse, N.Y. Television, Radio and Film
Dalton Phillip Sr. LS Clancy, Mont. Political Science
Andrew RobinsoSr. TE Baltimore, Md. Finance/Marketing Management
Kevyn Scott So. CB Tamarac, Fla. Information Management and Technology
Derrell Smith Sr. LB New Castle, Del. Information Management and Technology
Tom TrendowskiSo. TE Syracuse, N.Y. Physical Education
Dan VaughanSo. LB Gibsonia, Pa. Undeclared
WEST VIRGINIA
Maxwell Anderson Sr. FB/TE Morgantown, W.Va. Accounting
Don Barclay So. OL Cranberry, Pa. Business Management
Carmen Connolly Sr. WR Pittsburgh, Pa. Exercise Physiology
Zac Cooper Sr. LB Weirton, W.Va. Finance and Sociology
Eric Jobe Jr. OL La Plata, Md. Industrial Engineering
Scott KozlowskiSr. P West Palm Beach, Fla. Business Management
Josh Lider Sr. K Bellevue, Wash. Pre-Medicine
Scott Loving Sr. TE/FB Lewisburg, W.Va. Exercise Physiology
Cody Nutter So. LS Parkersburg, W.Va. Physical Education Teaching
Keith Tandy So. DB Hopkinsville, Ky. Forensic and Investigative Sciences
Tyler Urban So. TE North Huntingdon, Pa. Finance
Reed Williams Sr. LB Moorefield, W.Va. Finance and Marketing
BIG EAST Football Scholar-Athletes Of The Year
2000 RaMon Johnson Boston College Business Administration
2001 Kyle Johnson Syracuse Business Administration
2002 Matt Walters Miami Mechanical Engineering
2003 Nate Jones Rutgers Finance
2004 Vince Crochunis Pittsburgh Administration & Policy Studies
2005 Garin Justice West Virginia Education
2006 Jay Henry West Virginia Finance/Accounting
2007 Brian BrohmLouisville Finance
2008 Conor Lee Pittsburgh Business Administration
2009 Reed Williams West Virginia Finance and Marketing
