Offensive guard Ryan Durand (above), linebacker Jake Flaherty and center Jim McKenzie earned ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District honors.
Orange Trio Earns Academic All-District Honors
11/6/2008 4:16:59 PM | Football
Syracuse football student-athletes Ryan Durand (Leominster, Mass.), Jake Flaherty (Wakefield, R.I.) and Jim McKenzie (Springfield, Pa.) are 2008 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Team selections. The trio joins four other Syracuse University student-athletes to earn the honor this fall.
Durand, who was a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation 2008 Draddy Trophy, has started 31 games at right guard for the Orange. The senior, who was a 2007 ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA District I All-Academic Team selection, has been a BIG EAST Academic All-Star selection every year and an Athletic Director's Honor Roll member every semester. This season Durand and his offensive linemates are blocking for record-setting running back Curtis Brinkley, who has a streak of school-record five-consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Durand, who is majoring in health and exercise science, regularly participates in the ‘Cuse Cares Community Program, working with children, at risk youth and the elderly.
Flaherty earns the honor for the second year in a row. A senior co-captain, Flaherty has started 20 consecutive games and has played in every game in his Syracuse career. Flaherty has 52 tackles this season, which ranks second on the Orange defense. He has accumulated 156 stops, including 7.0 tackles for a loss of yards, in his career. An American Studies major, Flaherty is a six-time member of the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and a three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection. He regularly participates in the ‘Cuse Cares Community Program, working with children, at risk youth and the elderly.
McKenzie is in his second year as a starter as a sophomore. A biochemistry major, McKenzie earned 2007 BIG EAST All-Academic Team honors and has been on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll every semester. He has started 18 games and is part of the offensive line that is leading the way for record-setting running back Curtis Brinkley, who has a streak of school-record five-consecutive 100-yard rushing games. As a freshman he was a Rivals.com BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection. McKenzie is a regular participant in the ‘Cuse Cares Community Program, working with children, at risk youth and the elderly.
Durand, Flaherty, McKenzie and the Orange will play at Rutgers this Saturday (12:00 p.m., ESPNU).
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