(Posted November 17, 2003)

Huntingdon, Pa. ? A pair of Juniata College juniors, P.J. Brown (Central Cambria/Ebensburg) and Matt Garner (Bellwood-Antis/Tyrone), have been selected to the CoSIDA District II Academic All-America College Division Football Team. Both players earned spots on the first-team, which means their names will now go on the ballots for the national Academic All-American teams. Juniata was one of just two schools to place more than one player on the first team.

Brown is in his third year with the Eagle?s squad. In his first two years, he performed as a tight end. This season, he transitioned to an offensive lineman. With Brown providing a push on the line, the Eagle?s are currently ranked third in the Middle Atlantic Conference in rushing offense. Brown has assisted the offense in gaining 396.6 yards per game. The Eagles have complied over 300 yards of total offense in seven out of their nine outings.

They have piled up more then 600 yards of offense in two contests this season.
In the classroom, Brown has a 3.972 cumulative grade point average with a program of emphasis in Biology. He is a member of HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) and the National Biological Association. This award marks the sixth different award he has received as a student athlete.

Garner has found comfort in the free safety position at Juniata after spending his sophomore year rotating positions throughout the defense. He has led the team in tackles this season with a total of 95, 60 of which were unassisted. He also leads the conference in tackles per game. Garner has had 10 or more tackles in seven of the nine games Juniata has played, including a season-high 14 in the season opener. He has had four pass break-ups and recovered a fumble this season.

In the classroom, Garner has a 3.989 cumulative grade point average with a program of emphasis in Biology. He has received eight different academic scholarships. He is a member of HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) and the Tri-Beta Biology Honor Society.

Garner was one of four defensive backs tabbed with first-team honors, while Brown was one of five offensive lineman picked for the first team. The District II College Division consists of all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA colleges in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The national Academic All-America teams will be announced Dec. 1.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.