Six Clemson Football Players Named Academic All-ACC

CLEMSON, SC – Clemson center Dalton Freeman was named to the All-ACC Academic team, for the fourth consecutive year according to the team announced on Wednesday by Commissioner John Swofford. Freeman was joined on the 52-member squad by Clemson teammates Jaron Brown, Chandler Catanzaro, Brandon Ford, Tyler Shatley and Gifford Timothy.

Only Duke had more than the six selections from Clemson and it marked the sixth straight year Clemson had at least five student-athletes named to the team. The program now has 29 Academic All-ACC selections since Dabo Swinney took over as head coach in October of 2008, more than any other five-year period in Clemson history.

Freeman, Brown and Ford were all seniors on Clemson’s 2012 team that finished with an 11-2 record and ninth in the final USA Today poll. Catanzaro, Shatley and Timothy all return to the 2013 squad.

Five of Clemson’s 11 starters on an offense that averaged 41 points per game, best in the ACC, were named Academic All-ACC.

For Freeman it was his fourth consecutive year on the Academic All-ACC team, the first Clemson player in history to make the team four years in a row. The Academic All-ACC team dates to the 1954 season.

Freeman was a first-team All-American according to the Football Coaches Association on the field and was a second-team Academic All-American according to CoSIDA. He earned two undergraduate degrees at Clemson in sociology and communication studies. Freeman is just the 14th ACC football player to be a four-time selection.

Brown was named for the third time to the Academic All-ACC team. He and Freeman are just the 13th and 14th Clemson football players to make it at least three times. Brown, who graduated with a degree in management, was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team this year. He finished his career with 86 receptions for 1174 yards in 50 games.

Ford was named to the Academic All-ACC team for the second time in his career. He was also named first-team All-ACC on the field this year as he had 40 receptions for 480 yards and eight touchdowns. His touchdown total tied a Clemson record for a tight end. Ford earned his undergraduate degree in sociology this year.

Catanzaro was also named to the Academic All-ACC team for the second straight year. Clemson’s starting kicker was second-team All-ACC on the gridiron as he made 18-19 field goals, including a 37-yarder on the last play of the game that beat LSU 25-24 in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Catanzaro majors in sociology.

Shatley and Timothy were two offensive line starters for the Tigers and it is the first time they have been chosen to the Academic All-ACC team. Shatley, a civil engineering major, was a starting guard and Timothy, who majors in PRTM, was a starting tackle on a Clemson offense that set school records for points scored and total offense.