November 27, 2006
Football
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SYCAMORES PLACE A LEAGUE-HIGH FIVE STUDENT-ATHLETES ON GATEWAY ALL-ACADEMIC SQUADS

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The Indiana State Sycamores placed a league-high five student-athletes on the Gateway Football Conference’s Academic All-Conference Team as announced by the league office today (Nov. 27). No other team in the conference placed five student-athletes on the first and second teams.

Among the five honorees for Indiana State was first team member Kyle Hooper (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot), who makes his second consecutive appearance on the league’s top academic squad. Representing the Sycamores on the second team were wide receiver Carl Berman (Treasure Island, Fla./Boca Ceiga); defensive back Bryan Jackson (Chicago, Ill./Bowling Green), quarterback/wide receiver Ben Schmidt (Jasper, Ind./Jasper) and offensive lineman Fred Staugh (Flower Mound, Texas./Colorado).

With a 3.52 GPA in Business Management, Hooper saw action in 10 contests and booted a career-best 47-yard field goal on three separate occasions. He finished the year by hitting 7-of-11 field goal attempts (63.6%), which was good enough for seventh-best in the league, while pacing the team with 47 points scored. He ended his career with 220 career points scored, a new Indiana State record. He hit 4-of-5 field goal attempts from over 40 yards out. Hooper finished his career by hitting 94-of-95 career PAT attempts, and owns the school record for most PATs in a career (94) as well as PAT percentage (98.9%).

With a 3.05 GPA in Exercise Science, Berman paced the team with 59 catches for 783 yards, an average of 13.8 yards per catch. He was on the receiving end of four touchdown passes, and caught a season-long 41-yard touchdown from Reilly Murphy in the season finale against Illinois State. A multi-faceted star, he averaged 18.6 yards per kick return. Berman’s 5.38 receptions per game average ranks second-best in the Gateway and finished 29th in the nation. He averaged 71.8 yards receiving per game, good enough for third in the Gateway and 37th in the nation. In addition, Berman’s 18.6 yard kick return average was seventh best in the GFC. He topped the 100-yard receiving mark twice on the season, at Eastern Illinois as well as Western Illinois.

With a 3.53 GPA in Marketing, Jackson posted 49 total tackles in eight games played, before missing the last three games of the year with a broken jaw. He recorded one sack as well as three tackles for loss this season. At Eastern Illinois, Jackson intercepted a Panther pass and returned the ball 100 yards for a touchdown to give the Sycamores a 9-3 lead at the half. The 100-yard return tied the school, Gateway and NCAA record for longest interception return. Earlier today, Jackson also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors.

With a 3.83 GPA in Business Administration, Schmidt started four games for the Sycamores at the quarterback position. He finished the year completing 62-of-122 passes for 597 yards and five touchdowns. Schmidt showed strong rushing skills as well by gaining 93 yards on 30 attempts with three scores. His best game of the year was the Missouri State victory, when he connected on 18-of-27 passes for 202 yards with a pair of scores. Schmidt rushed for 51 yards versus the Bears with two more touchdowns in the 28-22 Homecoming victory.

Finally, with a 3.52 GPA in Business Management, Staugh started all 11 games for the Sycamores at right tackle. He was the lead blocker for a rushing offense that gained 147 yards per game, which ranked 55th in the nation. The Sycamore offense finished second in the Gateway for passing yardage, averaging 213.3 yards per game, which was good enough for 26th in the NCAA. Total offense was not a problem either for the Sycamores, as Staugh was a key component of a unit which tallied 360.3 yards per game for a final ranking of 31st-best in the country. Staugh was a prominent member of an offensive line that allowed just over one sack per game, which was third-best in the Gateway and 23rd best in the nation.

To be eligible for Gateway Academic All-District honors, nominees must have been starters or important reserves with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA, on a 4.0 scale. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institutions (freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution.

League sports information directors voted on the team by designating 11 players for first-team honors and 11 players for second-team honors via paper ballot.