Photo by: Charles Wainwright
Orange Place Six on 2017 All-ACC Academic Football Team
1/31/2018 2:00:00 PM | Football, Academics
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Offensive tackle Cody Conway, safety Jordan Martin wide receiver/kick returner Sean Riley, center Airon Servais, linebacker Austin Valdez and safety Rodney Williams were named to the 2017 All-ACC Academic Football Team, announced Wednesday, Jan. 31 by the league office.
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Syracuse's six selections tied Virginia for the fourth-most of any school. Only Duke (13), Pittsburgh (8) and Clemson (7) had more representatives on the 68-man team, which was selected from a pool of 144 nominees submitted by their institutions.
To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.0 grade-point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.0 cumulative average during his undergraduate and/or graduate academic career.
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Conway, a sport management major, earned the honor for the second straight season. An All-ECAC First Team selection, Conway started all 12 games at left tackle in 2017. He played 1,030 snaps and was credited with 31 knockdown blocks, including a season-best five at Louisville. Conway played every offensive snap in eight games and aided an Orange offense that ranked second in the ACC in passing (294.8 ypg) and third in total offense (456.3 ypg). Â
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A transfer with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Toledo, Martin is enrolled in Syracuse University's instructional design, development and evaluation graduate program. He played in eight games, starting five at free safety, in his one year with the Orange. Martin carded 25 tackles, three pass breakups and one forced fumble before undergoing season-ending surgery on his wrist in October. A semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the nation's most outstanding football scholar-athlete, Martin made his return to the field on Jan. 20 as a defensive back for the East in the annual East-West Shrine Game.
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Riley was one of the premier kick returners in the ACC last fall. He finished third in the conference in kickoff return average (24.5 ypr) and ranked 12th nationally with 842 combined kick return yards (710 kickoff, 132 punt). A communication and rhetorical studies major, Riley was second on the Orange in all-purpose yardage (1,014), including 125 yards receiving on eight catches.
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Like Conway, Servais started all 12 games up front for the Orange. He led the team in snaps (1.036) and was third with 36 knockdown blocks. A health and exercise science major, Servais took every offensive snap in 10 out of 12 games. He logged a career-best six knockdown blocks at LSU.
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Valdez, who holds an undergraduate degree in business from Bowling Green, tallied 38 tackles and a team-best two forced fumbles in his final collegiate campaign. An instructional design, development and evaluation a graduate student, Valdez played in all 12 games, making four starts at strong-side linebacker. He recorded a season-best 10 tackles versus Boston College in the last game of his college career.
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A marketing management major, Williams appeared in 11 games in 2017 with six starts at free safety. He ranked second among Orange defensive backs with 46 tackles (31 solo). He also logged three tackles for loss and broke up two passes. Williams enters the 2018 season as Syracuse's active leader with 125 tackles in 33 career games.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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Syracuse's six selections tied Virginia for the fourth-most of any school. Only Duke (13), Pittsburgh (8) and Clemson (7) had more representatives on the 68-man team, which was selected from a pool of 144 nominees submitted by their institutions.
To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.0 grade-point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.0 cumulative average during his undergraduate and/or graduate academic career.
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Conway, a sport management major, earned the honor for the second straight season. An All-ECAC First Team selection, Conway started all 12 games at left tackle in 2017. He played 1,030 snaps and was credited with 31 knockdown blocks, including a season-best five at Louisville. Conway played every offensive snap in eight games and aided an Orange offense that ranked second in the ACC in passing (294.8 ypg) and third in total offense (456.3 ypg). Â
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A transfer with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from the University of Toledo, Martin is enrolled in Syracuse University's instructional design, development and evaluation graduate program. He played in eight games, starting five at free safety, in his one year with the Orange. Martin carded 25 tackles, three pass breakups and one forced fumble before undergoing season-ending surgery on his wrist in October. A semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, presented to the nation's most outstanding football scholar-athlete, Martin made his return to the field on Jan. 20 as a defensive back for the East in the annual East-West Shrine Game.
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Riley was one of the premier kick returners in the ACC last fall. He finished third in the conference in kickoff return average (24.5 ypr) and ranked 12th nationally with 842 combined kick return yards (710 kickoff, 132 punt). A communication and rhetorical studies major, Riley was second on the Orange in all-purpose yardage (1,014), including 125 yards receiving on eight catches.
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Like Conway, Servais started all 12 games up front for the Orange. He led the team in snaps (1.036) and was third with 36 knockdown blocks. A health and exercise science major, Servais took every offensive snap in 10 out of 12 games. He logged a career-best six knockdown blocks at LSU.
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Valdez, who holds an undergraduate degree in business from Bowling Green, tallied 38 tackles and a team-best two forced fumbles in his final collegiate campaign. An instructional design, development and evaluation a graduate student, Valdez played in all 12 games, making four starts at strong-side linebacker. He recorded a season-best 10 tackles versus Boston College in the last game of his college career.
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A marketing management major, Williams appeared in 11 games in 2017 with six starts at free safety. He ranked second among Orange defensive backs with 46 tackles (31 solo). He also logged three tackles for loss and broke up two passes. Williams enters the 2018 season as Syracuse's active leader with 125 tackles in 33 career games.
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For complete coverage of Syracuse football, follow us on Twitter (@CuseFootball), Instagram (@CuseFootball) and like us on Facebook (Syracuse Football).
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