Kyle Young, Chad Carson Named First-Team Academic All-Americans

Dec. 11, 2001

CLEMSON – Center Kyle Young and linebacker Chad Carson have been named first-team Academic All-Americans as selected by Verizon and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Clemson was the only Division I school with two first-team selections this season.

Young, a graduate student from Clemson (Daniel HS), is a three-time first-team Academic All-American and became only the second offensive lineman in the history of college football to be named to the first team in three different seasons. He is one of just three ACC football players in history to be chosen three times. Mike Diminick, a defensive back from Duke (1986-88) was the first three-time selection from the ACC. Young is joined with distinction this year by Georgia Tech punter Dan Dyke. Young led the Tigers in knockdown blocks last year with 120 and is the offensive leader this season with 145 knockdown blocks. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Clemson with a 3.98 career GPA in May and is now taking postgraduate courses.

Carson, a senior from Atlanta, GA (Woodward Academy), is a first-team selection for the second straight season, making Clemson the only Division I school with two first-team honorees each of the last two years. Carson is a senior with a 3.94 career GPA in biological sciences. He led the Tigers in tackles last year to rank fourth in the nation. He led Clemson in tackles again this season and is fifth on the school’s all-time tackles list.

CoSIDA has chosen the Academic All-America team every year since 1952, so the 2001 team is the 50th team selected. Players chosen to the team must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA.