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Swanson earns Academic All-American honors

Dec. 9, 2008

TOWSNON, Md.--Phillip Swanson, a sophomore member of the Western Michigan University football team has been selected for Second Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American honors.

Swanson, a journalism major and sports editor for the Western Herald student newspaper, has a 3.92 grade point average. He is the second offensive lineman from WMU to be granted Academic All-American status, and only the seventh player to earn the honor in program history. His grade point average ties for the seventh highest among the 48 players that make up this season's first and second teams, and is second highest among all 10 offensive linemen, second only to Penn State's Andrew Pitz. Pitz carries a 3.94 grade point average, also in journalism.

A Grand Haven, Mich., native, Swanson began the season at guard and moved to left tackle before returning to left guard for the last two games of the regular season. Since being redshirted as a freshman in 2006, he has started every game of his collegiate career for a total of 24 games.

This is the second year in a row, and eighth in program history, that the Bronco football team has been represented on an Academic All-American honors team. Rich Kaiser is the only student-athlete in program history to earn the honor twice.

Academic All-American football Broncos

  • 1970, Jon Bull, tackle, first team honors
  • 1973, Dan Arbour, defensive end, second team honors
  • 1981, Les Garrett, linebacker, second team honors
  • 1994, Rich Kaiser, defensive end, first team honors
  • 1995, Rich Kaiser, defensive end, first team honors
  • 1998, Mike Hutchings, wide receiver, first team honors
  • 2007, Anthony Gebhart, safety, first team honors
  • 2008, Phillip Swanson, offensive lineman, second team honors

Visit wmubroncos.com for more information.

Media contact: Mat Kanan, (269) 387-4125, mat.kanan@wmich.edu

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