Nine Rams Named to 2011 CAA Academic All-Conference Team

KINGSTON, R.I. – Rhode Island placed nine players on the 2011 CAA Academic All-Conference team, the league announced Wednesday.

The Rams had five players on offense and four more on defense named to the team. In all, the CAA cited 121 student-athletes - 75 on offense and 46 on defense – from 11 schools as members of the academic all-conference team.

Named to the team for Rhode Island were seniors Kyle Elliott, Louis Feinstein, Willie McGinnis, Steven Probst, Matt Rae and Ahkiel White. Also earning academic all-conference honors were junior Matt Greenhalgh and freshmen Andrew Kestenbaum and Damen Vargas.

Elliott, Feinstein, Greenhalgh, McGinnis and Rae were all named to the team for the third time in their respective careers. It was the second such honor for Probst. Rae was a finalist for the 2011 CAA Student-Athlete of the Year, which went to Old Dominion defensive lineman Ronnie Cameron, who also was the league's defensive player of the year.

To be eligible for the CAA Football Academic All-Conference Team, a player must be a starter or important reserve and have a cumulative GPA of 3.00-or-better (on a 4.00 scale) for his entire academic career. Transfers and first-year freshmen are eligible. Voting for the Student-Athlete of the Year honor is conducted by 11 CAA Football Communications personnel from the 2011 season.