Academic All-Americans
(as selected by CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America)
FIRST TEAM SELECTIONS
Bob Lenzini, DT, 1952
Jim Grabowski, FB, 1964, 1965
John Wright Sr., E, 1966
Jim Rucks, DE, 1970
Bob Bucklin, DE, 1971
Dan Gregus, DL, 1980, 1981, 1982
Mike Hopkins, DB, 1991
John Wright Jr., WR, 1992
Brett Larsen, P, 1994
Josh Whitman, TE, 1999, 2000
Ryan McDonald, OL, 2007, 2008
SECOND TEAM SELECTIONS
Bruce Capel, C, 1964
Ron Acks, DB, 1965
John Wright Sr., E, 1967
Bob Bucklin, DE, 1970
Dan Beaver, K, 1976
Bruce Thornton, DT, 1977
Charlie Weber, FB, 1977, 1978
Curt Lovelace, C, 1990
John Wright Jr., WR, 1991
Brett Larsen, P, 1995
Fred Wakefield, DE, 1999, 2000
Tony Pashos, OT, 2002
J Leman, LB, 2007
THIRD TEAM SELECTIONS
Dick Deller, G, 1963
Mike Taliaferro, QB, 1963
Dave Tomasula, LB, 1967
Tony Pleviak, DL, 1968
HONORABLE MENTION SELECTIONS
Mike Dundy, HB, 1963
Tony Pleviak, DL, 1967
Doug Redmann, OG, 1969
DISTRICT IV SELECTIONS
Tony Pashos, OT, 2002
J Leman, LB, 2005, 2006, 2007
Ryan McDonald, OL, 2006, 2007, 2008
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, 2006
Jon Asamoah, OL, 2008, 2009
Illinois Post-Graduate Scholarship Winners
Thirteen Illinois athletes, including five football players, have won NCAA postgraduate scholarships. Postgraduate scholarship winners must carry a minimum 3.4 (4.0 scale) grade point average and are also evaluated on the basis of athletic achievement, extracurricular activities and community and civic involvement.
Robert Bucklin, 1972
Mike Hopkins, 1991
Curtis Lovelace, 1990
Laurence McCarren, Jr., 1973
John Wright, Jr., 1992
Josh Whitman, 2000
J Leman, 2007
Ryan McDonald, 2008
Jon Asamoah, 2009
Academic All-Big Ten
Acks, Ron, DB, 1964-65
Agee, Mel, DL, 1987-1988
Allen, Bob, RG, 1957
Asamoah, Jon, RG, 2007-08
Ash, Dave, C, 1959
Beaver, Dan, K, 1974, 1976
Bedalow, John, TE, 1972
Benson, Ivan, DB, 1996-98
Beutjer, Jon, QB, 2004
Bess, Ron, HB, 1965
Biezczad, Bob, OL, 1969
Blackwell, Don, OT, 1972
Braid, Ken, LB, 1972
Boyd, Arthur, DL, 2004-05
Boyle, Kenny, TE, 2000, 02
Boyter, Brett, TE, 2002-03
Brosnan, Brian, S, 2002, 05
Bucklin, Bob, DE, 1969-71
Capel, Bruce, C, 1964
Chamblin, Jack, C, 1954
Cole, Mike, DL, 1992-1993
Collier, Glenn, DE, 1971
Conroy, John, WR, 1996
Craig, Ryan, DB, 1997
Cushing, Matt, TE, 1997
DeDecker, Darrel, G, 1960
Deller, Dick, RT, 1962-1963
Dennis, Mark, OT, 1986
Diehl, David, OL, 1999-02
Dimke, Derek, PK, 2009
Donnelly, Pat, DB, 1990
Dulick, Jason, WR, 1993
Dundy, Mike, RB, 1963
Engel, Greg, C, 1991-1992
Erb, Bruce, LB, 1969
Ernst, Don, T, 1953
Fitts, Steve, P, 1999
Finis, Jerry, OL, 1976
Flynn, Dennis, OT, 1981
Freund, Peter, QB, 1988
Gann, John, OB, 1972
Gatton, Joe, TE, 1996-1997
Glielmi, Rob, LB, 1985
Gomez, Mike, LS, 2002
Gow, Mike, DB, 1973
Grabowski, Jim, FB, 1964-65
Graham, Hubie, TE, 2009
Greenlee, Andy, DB, 1997
Gregus, Dan, DL, 1980-82
Gregus, Kurt, LB, 1987-89
Gress, Aaron, LB, 2009
Grzelakowski, Brian, LB, 2005
Guenther, Ron, L, 1965
Gusich, Mike, DB, 1996-98
Hardy, Kevin, LB, 1993
Hayes, Erik, OL, 1992
Haywood, Brad, FB, 2003
Henkel, Bill, LB, 1988, 1990
Hodel, Nathan, OL, 1997-00
Hogan, Mickey, RT, 1967, 1968
Holcombe, Robert, RB, 1997
Hollenbach, Jeff, QB, 1973
Hopkins, Mike, DB, 1989-91
Huisinga, Larry, DB, 1971-72
James, Antonio, DE, 2007
Jenkins, A.J., WR, 2009
Jenner, Kris, QB, 1982-1983
Jeske, Tom, DE, 1969
Jordan, Larry, G, 1967
Juriga, Jim, OG, 1985
Kaiser, John, SE, 1969
Kautter, Brett, DT, 1999-02
Keely, Tad, LS, 2008
Kimbell, Steve, C, 1964-65
Kittner, Kurt, QB, 1999
Kleber, Doug, TE, 1973
Kleckner, Bill, DB, 1974
Klein, Jim, FL, 1993-1994
Koch, Bryan, OL, 2003
Koester, Kraig, TE, 1992-93
Kornfeld, Mark, QB, 2001, 03-04
Kruger, Jordan, OL, 2004
Kulaga, Jay, OL, 1999-00
Larsen, Brett, P, 1993-95
Lauzen, Joe, DL, 1996
Leman, J, LB, 2005-07
Lenzini, Bob, T, 1953
Lewis, Corey, OL, 2009
Lopez, John, WR, 1980-81
Lovelace, Curt, C, 1988-90
Malczyk, Mike, LS, 2000
Matha, Ryan, DT, 2002
McCarren, Larry, C, 1972
McCracken, Mac, LB, 1976
McCray, Mike, QB, 1977
McDonald, Ryan, OL, 2005-08
McDonough, Mike, LG, 1968
McGoey, Eric, WR, 2001-03
McMillin, Troy, OL, 1978
McMillin, Ty, LB, 1973
Mendenhall, Rashard, RB, 2006-07
Mendenhall, Walter, RB, 2005-06
Miller, Brit, LB, 2008
Minor, Jim, C, 1955, 1956
Moore, Ryan, WR, 1995-96
Moss, Scott, DE, 2003-05
Navarro, Mike, FB, 1972
Nawrocki, Nolan, LB, 1996, `98
Norris, Josh, DL, 2004-05
Ogata, B.J., TE, 2000
O'Donnell, Martin, OG, 2005-07
O'Laughlin, J.J., QB, 1992
Palmer, Nate, LB, 2009
Pashos, Tony, OL, 1999-02
Petersen, Mark, DE, 1973
Petkus, Bob, T, 1965
Piazza, Nick, WR, 1998-01
Pilcher, Doug, DE, 2006-08
Pleviak, Tony, DL, 1966-68
Pnazek, Karl, DL, 1969
Ramsey, Jack, WR, 2009
Reda, Jason, PK, 2005
Redmann, Doug, G, 1969
Rodgers, Randy, FB, 1968
Rose, Jerry, C, 1967
Rucks, Jim, E, 1970
Sands, Tyler, OL, 2009
Santella, Anthony, P, 2007-08
Sewall, Luke, DB, 1982-83
Schau, Ryan, OL, 1996-1998
Schau, Tom, OL, 1996-1998
Schnack, Jason, P, 1992
Schwarzentraub, Jeff, QB, 1993
Shaffer, Jim, LB, 1990
Shepard, Bryan, DB, 1998
Simmons, JJ, OL, 2004-05
Smith, Dale, B, 1957
Smith, Tom, T, 1966
Steinhaus, Steve, OL, 1994
Stellwagen, Joel, G, 1964, 1966
Stunkard, Cody, DB, 2008
Sturrock, Tom, OT, 1968
Taliaferro, Mike, QB, 1963
Tesdall, Seth, DT, 1999
Thornton, Bruce, DL, 1977
Tomasula, Dave, LB, 1967
Tubbs, JJ, PK, 2000-03
Uecker, Bill, DB, 1973
Venegoni, John, LB, 1981
Voelker, Gary, WR, 1992-93
Wakefield, Fred, DE, 1997-00
Weber, Charlie, RB, 1977
Wells, Mike, QB, 1971
Whiteside, Jim, RT, 1968
Whitman, Josh, TE, 1998-00
Wilkins, Marques, WR, 2007
Willis, Steve, S, 1995
Wiza, John, LB, 1972
Wright, Dave, T, 1971
Wright, John, Sr., E, 1965-67
Wright, John, Jr., WR, 1990-92
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| NCAA Award of Valor |
Awarded only five times since 1974, the Award of Valor is presented to a coach, administrator, or current or former varsity letterwinner who, when confronted with a situation involving personal danger, averted or minimized potential disaster by courageous action or noteworthy bravery. In 1982, former Fighting Illini football player Timothy J. McCarthy '71 was presented the award for his actions in the assassination attempt of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. McCarthy served as a secret service agent and was wounded in the line of duty. In that same incident, another UI graduate, presidential press secretary James Brady, was also wounded. |
NCAA Silver Anniversary Award |
This award is given annually to six distinguished former student-athletes on their silver anniversary (25th) as college graduates. In 1990, Illinois great Dick Butkus '65 was presented the award along with a group that included Dr. Donald Baxter (basketball, Mercer University), Paul Bucha (swimming, U.S. Military Academy), Dr. Archie Roberts (baseball, Columbia University) and Roger Staubach (football, U.S. Naval Academy). Following his career at Illinois, Butkus earned Pro Football Hall of Fame honors with the Chicago Bears and also has distinguished himself as a sports commentator and actor. |
Academic All-America
Hall of Fame |
Jim Grabowski was among four former college student-athletes inducted into the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame April 22, 1993. The other inductees were football's Raymond Berry and Dave Casper, and basketball's Kermit Washington.
To be eligible for the GTE Academic All-America Hall of Fame, an athlete must have been a GTE Academic All-America team member with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale). In addition, his/her class must have been graduated for at least 10 years. Academic All-America Hall of Fame members must have attained high achievements in their chosen professions and have made substantial contributions to their communities.
Grabowski was a two-time consensus All-American who, as a sophomore, was the MVP of the 1964 Rose Bowl. He placed third in the balloting for the Heisman Trophy as a senior in 1965. He graduated as a finance major.
The Big Ten's career rushing leader at the time of his graduation, Grabowski was a first-round draft choice of the NFL-champion Green Bay Packers and played six years of professional football with the Packers and Chicago Bears.
Grabowski has been involved with many charitable organizations and is an officer of the Red Cloud Athletic Fund, which raises money for Sioux Indians.
The former color analyst for Illini football radio broadcasts, Grabowski is Chief Operating Officer of Great Lakes Telecommunication Corporation.
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