June 5, 2009

WASHINGTON - For the second year in a row, the American University wrestling team has attained the highest GPA of all Div. I wrestling programs and has been crowned the National Wrestling Association's Champions of the Classroom. Additionally, senior Andrew Silber and junior Mike Cannon were named to the All-Academic Team.

American achieved a combined GPA of 3.28, besting Harvard, Stanford, Duke and Davidson, which finished two through five in the rankings, respectively. This year's honor is the second consecutive for Head Coach Mark Cody's team after tying with Duke last season atop the academic leaderboard. AU is the only school to earn NWCA All-Academic Team honors and finish in the top-30 at the NCAA Championships in each of the last four years.

"We are very proud in our team's ability to maintain such a high level of excellence both in the classroom and on the mat," Cody remarked. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication that our student-athletes put into their studies and the sport year-round."

Silber and Cannon, who were each named to the NWCA's All-Academic Team, pick up the program's 10th and 11th Academic All-America honors in the last five years. Cannon, AU's only three-time Academic All-American, is a student in the Kogod School of Business specializing in accounting and holds a 3.31 GPA. Silber, who has picked up his first honor, is a student in the School of Public affairs and holds a 3.27 GPA in justice, law and society.

The NWCA's team rankings are based on the average GPA of 12 student-athletes from each team, including the 10 who competed at their conference qualifier. For individuals to earn Academic All-America status, they must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule, or been an NCAA All-American with at least a 3.0 GPA.