Thirty-five student-athletes, including 13 who earned first-team honors, highlight the 2002 Gateway Conference all-academic team, announced by the league office Monday, Nov. 25.

Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale). Student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institutions (freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution. League sports information directors voted on the team by designating 11 players for first-team honors and 11 players for second-team honors.

2002 Gateway All-Academic Team
(voting by league SIDs)

FIRST TEAM
TB -Zach Dechant SMS Sr. 3.78 Recreation & Leisure
RB -Soso Dede INS Sr. 3.54 Mathematics Ed.
DB -Mike Gilbert INS Sr. 3.51 U.S. History
K -Mackenzie Hoambrecker UNI Sr. 3.39 Marketing
OC -Crockett Ladd SMS Sr. 3.47 History
K -Justin Langan WIU So. 3.77 Biology
DB -Brian Lowder WKU Jr. 4.00 Government/Sociology
WR -Mark Marcos SMS Sr. 3.66 Psychology
LB -Max Matthews INS Jr. 3.87 Political Science
LB -Ryan Merriwether INS Jr. 3.55 Finance
QB -Jason Michael WKU Sr. 3.82 Civil Engineering
QB -Russ Michna Western Illinois Jr. 3.77 Finance
OL -Aaron Peterson Illinois State Sr. 3.64 Anthropology

SECOND TEAM
OG -Matt Anderson SIU Sr. 3.48 Info. Systems Tech.
DE -Tom Brillhart Indiana State So. 3.49 U.S. History
K -Stephen Carroll Illinois State So. 3.68 General
P/K -Scott Everhart SIU Sr. 3.31 Info. Systems Tech.
P -Derrick Frost UNI Sr. 3.01 Computer Science
RB -Attley Lawson W. Illinois So. 3.23 Accounting
WR -Jon Laurenti Illinois State Sr. 3.27 Marketing
K -Peter Martinez WKU Sr. 3.32 Agriculture
QB -Julian Reese INS Sr. 3.35 Recreation & Sports
DT -Matt Scheffler S. Illinois Sr. 3.64 Civil Engineering
RB -Jake Shields Indiana State So. 3.31 Open
LB -Jon Tekac YSU Sr. 3.12 International Marketing
DE -Adam Vogel Indiana State So. 3.39 Open

HONORABLE MENTION
Indiana State: DT Richard Harris • UNI: WR Eddie Galles; DT Robert Hamre; QB Tom Petrie • SMS: OT Jeff Bristol Western Kentucky: OL Derek Forster; LB Jon Drummond • Youngstown State: LB Justin Dellarose; DE Martin Stachowicz