Crochunis and Stephens Named Verizon Academic All-Americans
12/1/2003
The Panthers tied for first nationally with two first-team selections.
Dan Stephens
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Vince Crochunis
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University of Pittsburgh football players Vince Crochunis and Dan Stephens have been named first team Verizon Academic All-Americans for their achievements in the classroom and on the field.
To earn Verizon Academic All-American honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve, have at least a 3.20 grade-point average and reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institution.
Crochunis (Schuylkill Haven, Pa./ Schuylkill Haven Area) earns his second consecutive Verizon Academic All-America honor. He is just the fifth two-time Academic All-American in Pittsburgh history. Stephens (Wheeling, W.Va./Linsly School) is being honored for the first time.
This is the first time since 1982 that Pittsburgh has had multiple Academic All-Americans in the same season. The Panthers tied Dayton for the most first-team honorees on the 2003 Academic All-America squad.
Crochunis is a rare triple-major, earning a 3.76 cumulative grade-point average while studying political science, history and communication and rhetoric. The team?s starting nose tackle, he has 49 stops on the year, including 5.5 for losses and two sacks. Stephens, a starter at defensive tackle, boasts a 3.76 GPA while majoring in urban studies. He has 45 tackles, including 4.5 for losses.
Pittsburgh finished the regular-season with an 8-4 overall record and 5-2 Big East mark. The Panthers will play Virginia (7-5) in the Continental Tire Bowl Dec. 27, their fourth consecutive postseason bid. The four consecutive bowl berths mark the Panthers? best postseason stretch since advancing to nine straight from 1975-83.
