McCormick Student and NU Long Snapper Phil Brunner Named Academic All-American

December 2, 2008

McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science graduate student and Northwestern long snapper Phil Brunner has been named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American first team selection, as voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Brunner already has earned an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering. He currently is working toward a master's degree in materials science and engineering, carrying a 3.79 GPA.

Brunner has been perfect on every single one of his snaps this season, helping kicker Amado Villarreal (a McCormick student pursuing a master’s degree in project management) break the Northwestern scoring record for a kicker with 85 points. Villarreal was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection this year. Brunner also was perfect on his punt snaps as well as recording a tackle and a forced fumble on the season.
Brunner is Northwestern's first Academic All-American since both Jeff Backes and Luis Castillo were first-team honorees in 2004. Brunner's award is the 29th such accolade in program history.
To be eligible for the award, a player must be in at least his second year of athletic eligibility, be a first-team or key performer and carry a cumulative 3.30 grade point average. This GPA standard is higher than the 3.2 required in previous years.
Several other McCormick students have contributed to the success of this year’s Wildcat football squad, as well.

Team co-captain and senior wide receiver Eric Peterman was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team in October. Peterman, an industrial engineering and management sciences major with a minor in economics, was also one of 10 finalists for the ARA Sportsmanship Award. He was the team’s second leading receiver and started 26 straight games.

Senior placekicker Amado Villareal earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and is currently pursuing a master's degree in project management. In addition to breaking the Northwestern scoring record for a kicker, he was named the Big Ten’s Special Teams Player of the Week against Ohio (Sept. 20).

Senior defensive end Kevin Mims is one of the Wildcats’ two starting defensive ends. A mechanical engineering major, Mims was tabbed the league's top defensive player after recording a season-high-tying seven tackles. Mims concluded the regular season with 44 tackles, the most by any defensive lineman.

Junior wide receiver Zeke Markshausen is a walk-on member of the team who caught his first career pass in the Wildcats’ season-opening win over Syracuse. Markshausen is a mechanical engineering major.