Thursday, November 10, 2005

MORAVIAN’S SHAWN MARTELL & BRENTEN RUNNE NAMED TO ESPN The Magazine ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT TEAMS

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Junior wide receiver Shawn Martell (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) and senior offensive lineman Brenten Runne (Stanhope, NJ/Hopatcong HS) have been named to the 2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II College Division Football Teams selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America for the second consecutive year. Martell earned a spot on the first time while Runne was on the second team.

By making the All-District First Team, Martell is now forwarded onto the national ballot to try for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American® accolades, which will be announced on Thursday, December 1st.

To be eligible for ESPN The Magazine 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.

Martell, who was on the Academic All-District Second Team last season, has caught 19 passes this season for 324 yards with three touchdowns. His longest reception is a 53-yard catch, and Martell has also run the ball once for nine yards. Martell has added six tackles for the Greyhounds on special teams, and he has six kickoff returns for 115 yards. In his career, Martell has caught 52 passes for 935 yards and nine touchdowns. Martell is the 24th Greyhound to catch at least 50 passes in a career, and he needs just 65 yards to become the 15th player with 1,000 career receiving yards.

Runne, who was also on the Academic All-District Second Team a year ago, has helped the Moravian offense average 210.0 yards per game on the ground this season. Runne and the rest of the Moravian offensive line have also helped the Greyhounds average 366.6 yards of total offense per game this fall while allowing just 13 sacks in nine games. In 2004, Runne and the Moravian offense set school records for rushing yards with 2,541 yards and total offense with 4,479 yards.

Martell will not try to become the 32nd ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in Moravian history and the 27th in the last 13 years.

Moravian, which is 5-4 this season, closes out the 2005 season on Saturday, November 12th with a 1:00 p.m. kickoff with rival Muhlenberg College at Scotty Wood Stadium in Allentown.