Okafor Named to 2003 Verizon Academic
All-America Men's Basketball First Team

STORRS, CONNECTICUT-- University of Connecticut sophomore center Emeka Okafor (Houston, TX) has been named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-America Men’s Basketball First Team, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Okafor is joined on the five-member first team by Matt Bonner of Florida, Clint Cuffle of Evansville, Adam Mark of Belmont and Brett Starkey of Denver.

Okafor is only the second Academic All-America in UConn men’s basketball history, joining Wes Bialosuknia, who was also a first team selection in 1966-67.

Okafor, a finance major at Connecticut, carries a cumulative grade point average of 3.73. He has earned 70 academic credits as a member of the honors program, giving him junior academic status. He has been on the Dean’s List all three semesters at UConn.

Okafor is averaging 15.7 points and grabbing 10.9 rebounds per game. He leads the nation in blocked shots at 4.8 per contest and is the all-time UConn blocked shots record holder with 262. He leads the BIG EAST with 18 double-doubles.

The complete first, second and third teams follow:

2003 VERIZON ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA
UNIVERSITY DIVISION MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Matt Bonner, Florida, Sr., Concord, N.H.
3.98, Business Administration

Clint Cuffle, Evansville, Jr., Riverton, Ill.
3.77, Engineering

Adam Mark, Belmont, Jr., Bremen, Ind.
3.94, Computer Science

Emeka Okafor, Connecticut, Soph., Houston, Texas
3.73, Finance

Brett Starkey, Denver, Jr., Lakewood, Colo.
3.96, Biology/Pre-Medicine

SECOND TEAM

David Bennett, Marist, Sr., Salt Lake City, Utah
3.99, Business Administration

Jason Blair, San Diego, Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.
3.59, Business Administration

Adam Hess, William & Mary, Jr., Grosse Point, Mich.
3.51, Finance

James Jones, Miami (Fla.), Sr., Miami, Fla.
3.40, Finance

Michael Lindeman, Creighton, Jr., Iowa Falls, Iowa
3.92, Finance

THIRD TEAM

Dedrick Dye, Wagner, Sr., Clinton, Tenn.
3.72, Business Administration

Carl English, Hawaii, Jr., Patrick's Cove, Newfoundland, Canada 3.28, Liberal Studies

Blake Stepp, Gonzaga, Jr., Eugene, Oregon
3.21, Business Administration

Jake Sullivan, Iowa State, Jr., Oakdale, Minn.
3.33, Psychology

Chris Hill, Michigan State, Soph., Indianapolis, Ind.
3.90, Undecided

Jason Parker, Tulsa, Jr., Tulsa, Okla.
3.57, Mgmt. Information Systems

Verizon Academic All-American of the Year: Matt Bonner, Florida