Nine Rhody Gridders Named A-10 Academic All-Conference

Jan. 23, 2007

KINGSTON, R.I. - Nine Rhode Island football players were named Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference selections, Tuesday, as the conference announced its 95-member team, Tuesday.

Junior Second-Team Academic All-American Damien Gresko (Huntingdon, Pa.) was one of five Ram offensive linemen recognized by the A-10 for their achievements in the classroom. The Rams' starting right tackle this past season, Gresko carries a 4.0 grade point average as an accounting and finance double major.

Three other starters - center Steve Moll (Doylestown, Pa.), left tackle Mark Stolte (Rochester, N.Y.) and tight end Kyle Edwards (North Attleboro, Mass.) - along with second-string right tackle Fran Dempsey (Hazelton, Pa.) were also named to the squad.

Moll is a junior secondary education major, Stolte is a junior majoring in communications studies and Dempsey is a sophomore secondary education major. Edwards, who was also a Draddy Award finalist for the nation's top scholar athlete, is a graduate student pursuing a master's in political science. The unit led the Rams to a second-place finish in the Atlantic 10 with 192.0 rushing yards per game, while averaging 308.1 yards of total offense this season.

Two Rhody defensemen were also selected to the team. Senior captain Mizraim Farley (Daphne, Ala.), a psychology major, finished second for the Rams with 77 total tackles, including a team-best 48 solo, from his starting linebacker position. Junior backup safety Eric Cervone (North Scituate, R.I.) , a political science major, also earned a spot on the team.

Both of Rhode Island kickers - senior place kicker Colin Gallagher (Hatboro, Pa.) and junior punter Bryan Giannnecchini (Cranford, N.J.) also made the squad. An accounting major, Gallagher finished the season second for the Rams with 40 points, while converting 25-of-28 extra point attempts and five field goals. Giannecchini, a landscape architecture major, was one of only 10 players in the entire conference named both an All-Conference and an Academic All-Conference selection after finishing second in the conference with a 38.7-yard punting average.

To be eligible for the team, the student-athlete must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 and be a starter or key reserve in at least their sophomore season of play.