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University of Massachusets Athletics
Brian Smith Named To Academic All-District I Football Team
November 09, 2000 | Football
Nov. 9, 2000
AMHERST, Mass. -- Senior defensive back Brian Smith (Wilmington, Del.), a member of the University of Massachusetts football team, has been named to the 2000 Verizon Academic All-District I team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. This marks the third straight season Smith has been chosen to the team, which is comprised of players from Division I schools in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Smith, who carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.36 in Accounting, has been named to the UMass Athletic Director's honor roll in each of his six first semesters on campus. He was named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar by Black Issues In Higher Education in 2000, while also being selected to the Atlantic 10 Academic All Conference team in 1998 and 1999, and the Division I-AA Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star team in 1998.
On the field, Smith has started every game for UMass since the beginning of the 1998 season, playing both cornerback and strong safety. One of UMass' tri-captains, he ranks sixth all-time on the school list for career solo tackles (208) and seventh for pass breakups (23). This season, Smith stands fourth on the team in total tackles with 52, with 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception. He was named a 2000 preseason honorable mention All-American by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette, in addition to earning preseason first team All Atlantic 10 honors.
The Minutemen, who stand 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Atlantic 10, are in action this Saturday, Nov. 11, when they play host to Delaware at McGuirk Alumni Stadium at 12:00 p.m.