Thirty-five student-athletes, including 13 who earned first-team honors, highlight the 2007 Gateway Conference All-Academic Team, announced by the league office today.

FIRST TEAM
FB Rick Burgess, SIU, 6-0, 215, So., 4.0, Pre-Major, Palm Beach (Fla.) William T. Dwyer High
LB Travis Cherry, WIU, 6-2, 235, Jr., 3.53, Kinesiology, Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North High
RB Herb Donaldson, WIU, 5-11, 220, Jr., 3.19, Broadcasting, St. Louis (Mo.) CBC High
QB Luke Drone, ILS, 6-2, 210, Sr., 3.04, Physical Education, Mt. Carmel (Ill.) High
QB Nick Hill, SIU, 6-3, 210, Sr., 3.19, Special Education, DuQuoin (Ill.) High
TE Ryan Kernes, SIU, 6-3, 235, So., 4.0, Civil Engineering, Bloomington (Ill.) High
^ - TB Bryan McCulley, INS, 6-1, 210, Sr., 3.84, Recreation/Sports Management, Indianapolis
OL Brian Mellott, YSU, 6-3, 281, So., 3.93, Business Marketing, Austintown (Ohio) Fitch High
P Scott Ravanesi, SIU, 6-0, 195, So., 4.0, Management, Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North High
^ - OL Chad Rinehart, UNI, 6-5, 308, Sr., 3.27, Sports Psychology, Boone (Iowa) High
QB Todd Rowan, YSU, 6-3, 223, So., 4.0, Pre-Med, Braceville (Ohio) LaBrae High
OC David Tillman, MSU, 6-2, 285, Jr., 3.60, Cell/Molecular Biology, St. Peter's (Mo.)
# - QB Tom Zetts, YSU, 6-1, 215, Sr., 3.68, Secondary Education, Boardman (Ohio) High

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.

Earlier this fall, five student-athletes were named to the ESPN the Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams, and each earned selection to the league's first- or second-team units.  Seven among the league's 24 who earned either first- or second-team all-Gateway Academic honors have perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point averages.

SECOND TEAM
WR Justin Allen, Southern Illinois, 6-0 195, Sr., 3.21, Health Education, Glenpool (Okla.) High
DT Chris Brehmer, Missouri State, 6-5, 270, Jr., 3.51, Psychology, Rock Hill (Mo.) Webster Groves High
OL Jacob Carpenter, Indiana State, 6-3, 280, Sr., 3.28, Business Administration, Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence Central High
WR Jared Emery, Missouri State, 6-3, 197, So., 3.70, Biology, Mountain Grove (Ark.) High
OT Andrew Kernes, Southern Illinois, 6-6, 310, Sr., 3.25, Biological Services, Bloomington (Ill.) High
RB Corey Lewis, UNI, 6-0, 197, Jr., 3.04, Physical Educ.- Exercise Science, St. Paul (Neb.) High
WR Warren McCarty, Illinois State, 6-4, 205, So., 4.0, Business Administration, Roscoe (Ill.) Hononegah High
LB Josh Mahoney, UNI, 6-1, 237, So., 4.0, Economics & English, Sioux Falls (S.D.) O'Gorman High
# - DB/RS Ryan Patrick, Indiana State, 5-10, 180, Jr., 3.30, Chemistry, Dayton (Ohio)
LB Ryan Patton, Southern Illinois, 6-0, 215, So., 4.0, Kinesiology, West Frankfort (Ill.) High
^ - SS Bob Perez, Youngstown State, 6-0, 210, Sr., 3.84, Technical Management, Navarre (Ohio) Perry High

HONORABLE MENTION
Illinois State:  DL Dan Simnick, OL Jonathan St-Pierre, WR Dan Weiner
Indiana State:  WR Brian Jackson
Missouri State:  CB Chris Geisz
Southern Illinois:  WR Ryan Beeler
Western Illinois:  DL Chad Groenhagen, DB/RS Tim Jackson
Youngstown State:  WR Rory Berry, OL Brad Samsa, LB Jeremiah Wright

^ - Academic All-District Selections (1st Team);  # - Academic All-District Selections (2nd Team)