Academic honors to ISU Sycamores' Shields, Brillhart

ISU Sycamores' Jake Shields, Tom Brillhart named CoSIDA Academic All-District

TERRE HAUTE, IL (11-12-2004) - Seniors Jake Shields and Tom Brillhart have been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District V Team as both prepare to cap their senior season at Southern Illinois on Saturday (Nov. 13) night versus the nation’s top-ranked Salukis. It is the third-time each student-athlete has taken the academic honor during their career.

Shields, a senior tailback from Plainfield, Ill., paces the team in rushing with 595 yards and seven touchdowns. He currently ranks 10^th in the Gateway Football Conference rushing statistics, and averages 4.0 yards per carry. His eight touchdowns (7 rush, 1 receiving) lead the Sycamores. Shields has rushed for 2,069 yards in his career with 21 trips to the end zone. His career rushing totals are the fifth-most in school history. A Business Administration major, he carries a 3.38 cumulative grade point average.

Brillhart, a senior defensive tackle from Vincennes, Ind., currently is the team’s leader in quarterback sacks with four. He has recorded 40 tackles on the season, including five for losses. Brillhart has recorded 13 sacks in his four-year career along with 152 tackles. He maintains a 3.51 GPA in Social Studies.

Shields and Brillhart join Jeff Miller (’83, ’84, ’85), Kurt Bell (’83, ’84, ’85) and Greg Corsaro (’84, ’85, ’86) as the school’s only three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District Team honorees. Both Shields and Brillhart will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-American ballot, with that squad being announced on December 1. ISU football has placed four on the CoSIDA Academic All-American squad in the program’s history.

District V includes all Division I-A and I-AA football teams in Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Sports Information Directors of all NCAA Division I institutions within the district receive a vote towards this honor. To be eligible for selection, student athletes must have completed at least one year academically and athletically at their current school, play in at least 75% of his team’s games, be a starter or important reserve and maintain at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA.

CoSIDA Academic All-District V Offense
JOSH HALDI, QB, Northern Illinois, Sr., 3.89, Accountancy
KEVIN KNUTSON, WR, Valparaiso, Sr., 3.476, Chemistry/Biology
DAN SHELDON, WR, Northern Illinois, Sr., 3.26 Communication
CHARLES DAVIS, TE, Purdue, Jr., 3.37, Organizational Communication
SCOTT BLAIR, TB, Ball State, Sr., 3.59, Industrial Technology
JAKE SHIELDS, TB, Indiana State, Sr., 3.38, Business Administration
PERRY COX, C, Western Illinois, Jr., 3.966, Management
GREG ESLINGER, C, Minnesota, Jr., 3.57, Inter-College Program
TYLER MOORE, OG, Purdue, Sr., 3.34, Fine Arts
JOE THOMAS, OT, Wisconsin, So., 3.78, Business
JAKE VerSTRAETE, OT, Northern Illinois, Sr., 3.45, Manufacturing Engineering Technology
JUSTIN LANGAN, K, Western Illinois, Sr. 3.666, Biological Sciences

CoSIDA Academic All-District V Defense
TOM BRILLHART, DT, Indiana State, Sr., 3.51, Social Studies
KYLE BUDINSCAK, DE, Notre Dame, Sr., 3.591, Finance
LUIS CASTILLO, DT, Northwestern, Sr., 3.53, Economics
MARK LOSLI, DE, Minnesota, Jr., 3.67, Finance/Management Info. Systems
TONY RINELLA, LB, Southern Illinois, Jr., 3.41, History
JASON SIEMAN, LB, Ball State, Jr., 3.531, Business
DOMINIQUE SIMS, LB, Minnesota, Sr., 3.23, Animal Science
JEFF BACKES, CB, Northwestern, Jr., 3.80, Psychology (Pre-Medicine)
CHRIS DANIELS, DB, Valparaiso, Sr., 3.249, Finance
ROB LEE, CB, Northern Illinois, Sr., 3.64, Political Science
JIM LEONHARD, FS, Wisconsin, Sr., 3.44, Kinesiology
WILL MEYERS, S, Indiana, So., 3.75, Accounting