Matt Milner and Adhem Elsawi on All Academic Squad

Matt Milner and Adhem Elsawi Named To Conference USA All-Academic Team

IRVING, Texas - East Carolina juniors Matt Milner and Adhem Elsawi are two of the 14 student-athletes named to the 2012 Conference USA All-Academic Team, according to a release by the league on Thursday. This year's all-academic squad is made up of three graduate students, four seniors, four juniors and three sophomores.

East Carolina, Southern Miss and Tulane had a league-best two selections, while Marshall, Memphis, Rice, SMU, Tulsa, UAB, UCF and UTEP each placed one member on the squad. The all-academic team consists of student-athletes who have earned a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) or better and are a starter or key reserve on their team.

The two ECU selections were the most for the program since Sean Allen and Patrick Pinkney were both chosen in 2009.

Milner's selection was the third of his career as he was also named in 2010 and 2011. He is one of only two repeat picks from the 2011 unit and currently sports a perfect 4.0 GPA as a physics major.

In November, he was selected for the Capital One Academic All-District 3 First Team for the second time in his career. Last season, he was the football program's first Academic All-America selection with his spot on the second team and was named the Conference USA Football Scholar-Athlete-of-the-Year. Milner is also a three-time selection on the C-USA Academic Honor, has received three C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medals and is a six-time ECU Chancellor's List honoree.

On the field this season, the Raleigh native has played in all 12 games and started once. He has booked eight tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss yardage, 0.5 sacks and a quarterback hurry as part of a unit that ranks among the top-six in the conference in total, rush and scoring defense. Since earning a starting position as a freshman in 2010, he has played in 37 career games and recorded 92 tackles, four sacks and 11.5 TFLs.

Elsawi's selection marks the first of his career. He holds a 3.51 cumulative GPA as a biology major and is a three-time East Carolina Dean's List honoree plus has been twice named to the C-USA Academic Honor Roll. He also earned a C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal following the 2011 season.

On the field this season, the Saratoga Springs, N.Y. native has played and started all 12 contests at left tackle. He is part of an offensive unit that ranks among the top-six in the conference in passing efficiency, passing, total offense, scoring and fewest sacks allowed.

The ECU offense has produced 385 or more yards in seven games, 200 or more yards rushing in three games and has topped 35 points on five different occasions. He aided the Pirates to 600 yards of total offense vs. UAB (eight-best performance in program history). Elsawi has also helped individual ECU running backs top 100 rushing yards on four occasions and has played a role in seven 250-yard or better passing outings, including Shane Carden's school-record 439 yards against Marshall.

2012 Conference USA All-Academic Team

Name - School - Year - GPA - Major

Adhem Elsawi - East Carolina - Junior - 3.51 - Biology

**Matt Milner - East Carolina - Junior - 4.00 - Physics

Dominick LeGrande - Marshall - Graduate Student - 3.50 - Adult and Technical Education

Jacob Karam - Memphis - Graduate Student - 3.71 - Graduate Studies

Tanner Leland - Rice - Junior - 3.65 - Mathematics

Randall Joyner - SMU - Junior - 3.46 - Sports Management

Corey Acosta - Southern Miss. - Sophomore - 3.90 - Biological Sciences

Brandon Francesconi - Southern Miss. - Senior - 3.62 - Business Management

*Ryan Griffin - Tulane - Senior - 3.36 - Management

Sam Scofield - Tulane - Sophomore - 3.82 - Business

Jared St. John - Tulsa - Senior - 3.34 - History and Education

Taylor Klein - UAB - Senior - 3.57 - Accounting

Ray Shipman - UCF - Graduate Student - 3.43 - Sports and Fitness

Jordan Leslie - UTEP - Sophomore - 3.53 - Electrical Engineering

* Repeat Selection

ECU C-USA All-Academic Team Selections

2012 - Adhem Elsawi and Matt Milner

2011 - Matt Milner

2010 - Matt Milner

2009 - Sean Allen and Patrick Pinkney

2007 - Josh Coffman

2006 - Kevin Roach