VMI's Chris Brandriff Selected to ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America? First Team
LEXINGTON, Va. -- Recent 2006 graduate Chris Brandriff (Chesapeake, Va./Western Branch) of the Virginia Military Institute track and field program has been selected to the 2006 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America® First Team in the University Division. The teams were voted on and selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), with this year's recipients being announced earlier today by the national coordinator of men’s track and field and cross country.
Brandriff's selection marks the second consecutive year that the VMI track and field team has had a First Team selection, with pole vaulter Ty Denby being recognized last season with the honor. Brandriff is also the only Keydet to be chosen this season to the First Team. Furthermore, Brandriff is also just the seventh Keydet to ever receive first-team academic all-american honors from CoSIDA in any sport.
Brandriff had a remarkable senior season for the Keydets this year, becoming the fifth Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year selection in the past six track & field seasons for VMI. In the javelin, Brandriff broke his own school record twice this season, and qualified for the IC4A Championships and NCAA Regionals for the second straight year.
His academic achievements parallel his impressive athletic accomplishments as well. He is a four year Dean's List selection, and was the recipient of VMI's prestigious Three-Legged Stool Award, one of the school's highest honors. Brandriff held a 3.91 GPA in his final year in Civil Engineering. He was also recently recognized by his peers at the annual year-end banquet, taking home the COL Read Academic Award for Men, the Walt Cormack Leadership Award and the Hardin Massie Spirit of VMI Award.
About the Academic All-America® Teams as selected by CoSIDA:
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) selects Academic All-America teams in 12 programs: football, women’s volleyball, men's soccer, women's soccer, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s track & field/cross country, women’s track & field/cross country, men’s at-large and women’s at-large. A first team, second team and third team are selected in both the University (Division I and I-AA) and College (Division II, III and NAIA) Divisions. Football consists of just first and second teams.
2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic First Team All-America
(Men’s University Division):
FIRST TEAM:
Name -- School -- Dist. -- Year -- GPA -- Major
Nathan Brown -- WISCONSIN-MADISON, UNIVERSITY OF -- V -- Sr. -- Madison, Wis. -- 3.95 -- Biochemistry
John Tumbleston -- ELON UNIVERSITY -- III -- Sr. -- Boone, N.C. -- 4.00 -- Physics and Science Education
Garrett Johnson -- FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY -- III -- Gr. -- Tampa, Fla. -- 3.81 -- Public Administration - Masters Student
Jaanus Uudmae -- ARKANSAS, UNIVERSITY OF -- VI -- Gr. -- Tallin, Estonia -- 4.0 -- computer science engineering
Brian Babcock -- MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY -- IV -- Sr. -- Sand Point, Id. -- 4.00 -- University Studies
Tom Lancashire -- FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY -- III -- Jr. -- Bolton, England -- 3.93 -- Exercise Science
Ian Mayne -- TENNESSEE-CHATTANOOGA, UNIVERSITY OF -- IV -- Sr. -- Pickering, Ontario -- 3.86 -- Pre-Med
Chris Brandriff -- VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE -- III -- Sr. -- Chesapeake, Va. -- 3.91 -- Civil Engineering
Donovan Kilmartin -- TEXAS, UNIVERSITY OF -- VI -- Jr. -- Eagle, Idaho -- 3.48 -- Petroleum engineering
Javier Garcia-Tunon -- FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY -- III -- Sr. -- Tallahassee, Fla. -- 4.00 -- Business Management
Jimmy Grabow -- LONG BEACH STATE UNIVERSITY -- VIII -- Sr. -- Running Springs, CA -- 4.0 -- History
Jarrod Davis -- YOUNGSTOWN STATE UNIVERSITY -- IV -- Gr. -- East Canton, Ohio -- 3.70 -- Computer Information Systems
Michael Breshears -- MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY -- VII -- Jr. -- Excelsior Springs, Mo. -- 4.00 -- Administrative Management
Andrew Young -- OREGON, UNIVERSITY OF -- VIII -- Sr. -- Newberg, Ore. -- 3.83 -- Human Physiology
Galen Rupp -- OREGON, UNIVERSITY OF -- VIII -- So. -- Portland, Ore. -- 4.05 -- Pre-Business