BATON ROUGE — LSU’s Rudy Niswanger has been named to the 2004 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Team, the College Sports Information Director’s of America announced on Wednesday.
Niswanger’s selection to the first-team marks the third straight year in which the LSU football team has had a player earn first-team academic all-America. Former Tiger Rodney Reed earned first-team academic all-America honors in 2002 and 2003, while Matt Mauck was a second team selection in 2003.
Niswanger becomes the 14th first-team academic all-America in LSU history, joining the likes of Tyler Lafauci (1973), Robert Dugas (1977), Mike Blanchard (1994) and Chad Kessler (1997) as former Tigers who made the team.
In the classroom, Niswanger maintains a 4.0 grade point average in kinesiology with an emphasis on pre-medicine.
On the field, Niswanger has started all 11 games for the Tigers in 2004, playing three positions on the offensive line. Niswanger started LSU’s final three games at center, subbing for an injured Ben Wilkerson. Niswanger’s other starts this year have come at left and right guard.
Niswanger ranks first among LSU’s offensive linemen with 67 knockdowns in 2004 to go with 18 pancakes. He’s also allowed only two sacks and been whistled for just one penalty this season.
Niswanger, a native of Monroe, La., is a three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll as well as being named the top scholar-athlete for LSU’s national champion football team in 2003.
2004 ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA® FOOTBALL TEAM
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE NAME SCHOOL POSITION YR. HOMETOWN GPA MAJOR Alex Smith ** Utah Quarterback Jr. La Mesa, Calif. 3.74 Economics Kevin Knutson Valparaiso Wide Receiver Sr. River Falls, Wis. 3.75 Chemistry/Biology Lance Moore Toledo Wide Receiver Sr. Westerville, Ohio 3.54 Business Billy Bajema Okla. State Tight End Sr. Oklahoma City, Okla. 3.70 General Business Evan Harney San Diego Running Back Jr. Fallbrook, Calif. 3.90 Bus. Administration Nick Hartigan Brown Running Back Jr. Fairfax Station, Va. 3.87 Political Science Stephen Bono Lafayette Offensive Line Sr. Upper Saddle River, N.J. 3.80 Civil Engineering Trenton Franz Wyoming Offensive Line Sr. Fort Collins, Colo. 3.81 Civil Engineering Brandon Mason Elon Offensive Line Gr. Martinsville, Va. 3.81 Bus. Administration Rudy Niswanger LSU Offensive Line Jr. Monroe, La. 4.00 Pre-Medicine Matt Tarullo Syracuse Offensive Line Sr. Albany, N.Y. 3.73 Psych. & Speech Justin Langan W. Illinois Offensive Line Sr. Davenport, Iowa 3.67 Biological Sciences FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE NAME SCHOOL POSITION YR. HOMETOWN GPA MAJOR Luis Castillo Northwestern Defensive Line Sr. Garfield, N.J. 3.53 Economics Vince Crochunis Pittsburgh Defensive Line Sr. Schuylkill Haven, Pa. 3.92 Political Science Ben Cross Delaware Defensive Line Sr. Hamilton, Va. 3.95 Civil Engineering Dan Stephens Pittsburgh Defensive Line Sr. Wheeling, W. Va. 3.77 Urban Studies Jon LeDonne Robert Morris Linebacker Sr. Aliquippa, Pa. 4.00 Manuf. Engineering Rob Robertson Mississippi Linebacker Sr. Centreville, Miss. 3.95 Biology Chad Sievers Nebraska Linebacker Sr. Valley, Neb. 4.00 Bus. Administration Jeff Backes Northwestern Defensive Back Jr. Columbus, Ohio 3.80 Psychology Andrew Guman Penn State Defensive Back Sr. Allentown, Pa. 3.77 Finance Jim Leonhard Wisconsin Defensive Back Sr. Tony, Wis. 3.44 Kinesiology Morgan Scalley Utah Defensive Back Sr. Salt Lake City, Utah 3.96 Mass Comm. Cody Ridgeway Mississippi Punter Sr. Jackson, Tenn. 3.82 Banking/Finance