July 26, 2004

STAMFORD, Conn. - Mike Gminski, a two-time All-America, was named to a list of 25 finalists for induction into the 17th annual CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame. The ACC Player of the Year in 1979, Gminski is still Duke's all-time leading rebounder and shot blocker.

He helped lead Duke to the 1978 National Championship Game and the 1980 Mideast Regional final. He was Duke's all-time leading scorer when his Duke days were done and still ranks third in Duke history and sixth in ACC history in scoring. He is also sixth in rebounding and fifth in blocks in ACC history, as well.

Julie Foudy, Alvan Adams, Terrell Hoage and Tim Green are also among a group of 25 finalists for induction. Four of the finalists will be inducted at ceremonies in San Diego, California, on July 21.

The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), established the Hall of Fame in 1988 to honor former college scholar-athletes who have excelled in their professions and made substantial contributions to their communities. To be eligible, a candidate had to be an Academic All-America team member who graduated at least 10 years ago.

The Hall of Fame finalists were chosen from a group of more than 200 nominees and were selected by a 120-member voting board representing CoSIDA's 2,000 members. CBS broadcaster Dick Enberg, will serve as master of ceremonies at this year's 17th annual induction. There are currently 78 members of the Hall of Fame.

Foudy, a 1993 graduate of Stanford, is a two-time Olympic medalist and a 14-year veteran of the US National women's soccer team. Adams, a graduate of Oklahoma where he was a Phi Beta Kappa, played 13 seasons in the NBA after earning Big 8 Player of the Year honors in 1975.

Hoage, a Phi Beta Kappa honoree at Georgia (Class of 1984), was a two-time consensus first-team All-America who went on to play 13 years in the NFL, winning a Super Bowl ring while playing for the Washington Redskins in 1992. Green, a 1986 graduate of Syracuse, played eight seasons in the NFL and is currently a lawyer and a NFL color announcer for FOX, as well as a best-selling author.

Other finalists include former Notre Dame football player Robert Burger, former Brigham Young volleyball standout Dylann Duncan Ceriani, former College of New Jersey softball All-America Tracy Warren and former Elon University men's baskeball player Brian Branson. (See "Attachment A" for a complete list of this year's CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame finalists.)

The Academic All-America Teams program honors 816 male and female student-athletes annually who have succeeded at the highest level on the playing field and in the classroom. Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 14,000 student-athletes in Division I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.

Name                            School
Alvan Adams             University of Oklahoma
Brad Beanblossom        Oklahoma State University
Gill Beck               Appalachian State University
Brian Branson           Elon University
Robert Burger           University of Notre Dame
Richard Cerone          Seton Hall University
Megan Donnelly          University of Massachusetts
Dylann Duncan Ceriani   Brigham Young University
Julie Foudy             Stanford University
Joe Girardi             Northwestern University
Mike Gminski            Duke University
Timothy Green           Syracuse University
Katie Haller            University of Southern California
Dr. Jeffery Harris      Illinois State University
Terrell Hoage           University of Georgia
Mark Kelso              College of William & Mary
Brent Lang              University of Michigan
Dr. James Martin        The Pennsylvania State University
Michele Mitchell-Rocha  University of Arizona
Jim Paxson              University of Dayton
John Paxson             University of Notre Dame
Lance Pilch             United States Air Force Academy
Dave Rimington          University of Nebraska
Misty Thomas            University of Nevada Las Vegas
Tracy Warren            The College of New Jersey