ESU redshirt junior linebacker Matt Freed received awards that placed his talents among the top football student-athletes in the country. The awards include first team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American honors, the Daktronics Division II Super Region One Defensive Player of the Year, first team Daktronics All-America, and third team Associated Press Little All-America.
Freed, a History major, had an impressive 3.7 cumulative grade-point average and maintained a 4.0 GPA during the 2008-09 academic year. He became the fifth ESU Football player to be named to the Academic All-America team, and the third to earn a spot on the first team.
He earned his ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team with honors this fall with his 3.7 GPA, and was named Academic All-District in each of the last two seasons.
For the second straight season, Freed was named to the Daktronics Division II Football All-America first team, announced early in December. He is the third ESU football player to earn first team All-America honors in consecutive seasons.
The Associated Press Little All-America third team award was won for the second straight season, becoming the third player in school history to earn multiple All-America honors from the Associated Press. Freed was one of only two sophomores on the 2008 AP little All-America squad when he has 126 tackles, 11 TFL and four sacks.
Freed was recognized by a panel of the nation’s sportswriters who select the All-American team. The team is made up of the top Division II, III and NAIA football.
As a redshirt junior, Freed led the Warriors to their fourth NCAA Division II playoff in school history. He has accumulated 132 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks.
As the Daktronics Division II Super Region One Defensive Player of the Year, Freed finished the 2009 season with 132 tackles, 18 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks after compiling 126 tackles, 10 TFL, four sacks and four interceptions as a redshirt sophomore.
“I am blessed to be a part of a program with an excellent coaching staff that is committed to its players,” Freed said. “I could not be more proud of the players that I play along side of and their love for the game.”
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