Feb. 5, 2009

NASHVILLE, TENN. - - Less than 24 hours after earning one of the nation's top student-athlete honors, Belmont University men's basketball senior Andy Wicke (Hendersonville, Tenn.) garnered more recognition, being named to the ESPN The Magazine College Sports Information Director of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team.

On Wednesday, Wicke was named one of 10 finalists for the prestigious Lowe's Senior Class Award for men's basketball - one of the highest individual honors a Bruin player has ever received.

Then Thursday, the 6-2 guard became the latest in a long line of Bruins to earn Academic All-District honors.

Wicke is on pace to finish his career as the fourth leading scorer in the Bruins' NCAA era. Moreover, with 269 career three-point field goals, Wicke is threatening to become the Atlantic Sun Conference's career leader in makes from behind the arc.

Currently, he leads the Atlantic Sun and stands 17th in the NCAA in steals per game (2.52). He leads the league in three-point field goals per game and ranks in the Top 15 in eight statistical categories.

Wicke joins Frank Davis of Tennessee Tech, David Kool of Western Michigan and Joe Jakubowski and Marc Larson of Bowling Green State on the team from District Four. There are eight districts in the university (Division I) classification; District Four consists of Division-I institutions from Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama.

In order to be eligible, athletes must have a 3.3 cumulative grade point average or higher, be at least a sophomore, and have been at the same institution for at least a year.

Wicke holds a 3.74 GPA in his chosen major of environmental studies.

This marks the eighth time a Belmont Basketball player has been named Academic All-District, with Wicke joining former teammate Justin Hare (2006, 2007, 2008), Adam Mark (2003, 2004), Nick Otis (2005), and Jese Snyder (2005).

Wicke will be placed on the national ballot for ESPN The Magazine CoSida Academic All-America teams; teams will be announced Feb. 25.