Thursday, November 15, 2001

ABBATE NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAM

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Senior wide receiver Michael Abbate (South Plainfield, NJ/Bishop Ahr HS), who has helped the Moravian College football team to a 4-5 record this season, has been named to the 2001 Verizon Academic All-District II College Division Football Team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

By making the All-District squad, Abbate is now forwarded onto the national ballot to try for Verizon Academic All-American® accolades, which will be announced on December 10th

To be eligible for Verizon Academic All-America® accolades, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.20 grade-point average, be a sophomore, junior or senior and be a starter or significant reserve. The College Division is made up of all the NCAA Division II and III Schools in the nation as well as all NAIA schools.  Student-athletes from NCAA Division I schools are named to the University Division Teams.  District II is made up of schools from Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

This year marks the 50th year of the Academic All-America program, as the inaugural team was announced on December 6, 1952. Since that time, more than 12,000 students have been named Academic All-America team members at colleges and universities at all levels for every recognized NCAA sport. The 22 members of the original team, which included football players only, will be honored with a series of events throughout the current academic year. The program's popularity resulted in a significant expansion for the current academic year, as 816 student-athletes --- a 19 percent increase over the previous highest number -- will be selected to 12 different Academic All-America teams during the 2001-02 academic season.

Abbate has started all nine games for the Greyhounds this season and he leads the squad with 36 receptions for 513 yards and five touchdowns.  Abbate has also carried the ball 25 times for 119 yards with three touchdowns.  As a kick returner, Abbate has 29 punt returns for 198 yards and six kickoff returns for 176 yards.  Abbate has 111 career receptions (4th all-time) for 1,589 career yards (3rd all-time) and 13 career touchdowns (3rd all-time).  .

Moravian closes out the 2001 season with a make-up road game at FDU-Madison on Saturday, November 17th at 1:00 p.m.

Abbate will now try and become the 21st Verizon Academic All-American® in Moravian history and the 16th in the last nine years.