Seventeen Football Student-Athletes Earn CAA Commissioner's Academic Award

RICHMOND, Va. – Seventeen members of the University of New Hampshire football program have been feted with the CAA Commissioner's Academic Award for the 2011-12 season. Student-athletes receiving this honor achieved at least a 3.20 grade point average based on semester performance or cumulative GPA.

Here is a look at the Wildcats' CAA Commissioner's Academic Award recipients:

Player                 Pos./Class        Hometown                 Major

Alex Blane            OL/R-Fr.           North Andover, Mass.     Kinesiology: Sport Studies
Tyler Brnger         OL/So.              Munsonville, N.H.          Business Administration: Management
Alan Buzbee         LB/Jr.               Chester, N.J.                 Business Administration: Management
A.J. DeLago           K/Sr.               Menands, N.Y.               Biology
Matt Evans           LB/Jr.               Hanover, Mass.              Business Administration: Management
Dino Georgakis     LB/Fr.               Milton, Vt.                     Business Administration
James Jenkins      DE/Sr.               Paterson, N.J.               Sociology
George Kallas       OL/Fr.               Beverly, Mass.               Business Administration
Mike MacArthur    K-P/So.             North Hampton, N.H.      Nutrition
Walter McCarthy   OL/Jr.              Warwick, R.I.                  History
Seamus O'Neill     OL/So.             Manchester, N.H.             Kinesiology: Athletic Training
Nick Pellino           K/So.              Danvers, Mass.                Math
Jason Roach         DB/Sr.             Dorchester, Mass.            Business Administration: Finance
Chris Setian          RB/So.            East Longmeadow, Mass.  Kinesiology: Phys. Ed Pedagogy
Harold Spears       TE/R-Fr.           Perkasie, Pa.                   Undeclared
Chad Wilkes          DB/R-Fr.          Cheraw, S.C.                   History
Chris Zarkoskie     OL/Jr.              West Caldwell, N.J.           Psychology

Last month the UNH football program was recognized for placing a league-leading 20 members on the 2011 CAA Academic All-Conference Team, which is comprised of starters and important reserves with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better for their entire academic careers.

The UNH football team, which boasts a nation-leading eight straight appearances in the NCAA Division I FCS Championship tournament, begins spring football in early April, which will culminate in the annual Blue-White Game on Saturday, May 5. For more information on UNH football, visit www.unhwildcats.com.