November 5, 2009

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University redshirt junior outside linebacker Matt Freed has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II football first team for the second straight year, while redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Zach Sarginger was named to the second team in his first year of eligibility, it was announced on Thursday.

Freed (Souderton/Souderton) will advance to the national ballot for consideration for Academic All-America honors. A History major with a 3.70 grade-point average, Freed was named an All-American on the field during his sophomore season, earning first team Daktronics Division II and third team Associated Press Little All-America recognition.

This season, Freed has 101 tackles, 11.0 tackles for a loss and 6.0 sacks and is the first ESU player to hit the 100-tackle mark in consecutive years since All-American Kevin Nagle did it three times from 1998-2000. Freed was tied for sixth in Division II with 11.5 tackles per game in 2008, with 126 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 4.0 sacks and four interceptions in 11 games.

Sarginger (Pennsdale/Muncy) has a 3.37 GPA while majoring in Secondary Education and Mathematics and is one of three first-year starters on the Warriors’ offensive line. He has started nine games at right guard, providing protection for the PSAC’s top-ranked passing offense (265.8 ypg) and second-ranked pass efficiency offense (152.1 rating). ESU has also run for 137.7 yards per game and is second in the PSAC with 403.5 yards of total offense.

The Academic All-District teams are nominated and selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). District II includes all Division II and III institutions in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C. and West Virginia.

Freed can become the fifth ESU football player to be named an Academic All-American when the selections are announced later this month. Matt Crispell (DB, 2004), Ed Detwiler (K-P, 1992), Ernie Siegrist (TE, 1984) and Warren Brown (LB, 1979) were previously recognized, with Crispell and Siegrist named to the first team.

Freed and Sarginger are two of 15 PSAC student-athletes recognized in football, which includes six selections to the first team. ESU has led the PSAC with 10 Academic All-District selections in each of the last two years and has had five student-athletes selected this fall, with Toric Robinson (men’s soccer) and Kailyn Buckley and Lindsay Foder (women’s soccer) recognized last week. Robinson and Foder were named to the first team in their respective sports.