Four Huskies named to CAA Football Academic All-Conference team
Feb. 25, 2008
Boston, MA

Senior captain Joe Mele headlines four Northeastern University football players who were named to the CAA Football Academic All-Conference team, the league office announced Monday.

Mele is joined by senior Barry Jeanson, junior Anthony Orio and redshirt freshman David Akinniyi on the team, which honors the top academic football players in the conference. To be eligible, student-athletes must be a starter or an important reserve, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and must be at least a sophomore academically.

Mele, who is majoring in History at Northeastern, was a third team All-CAA Football selection after leading the Huskies in tackles with a career-best 90. He also had 3.5 sacks, including two against Hofstra on Nov. 10. He finished his NU career with 227 tackles and 8.5 sacks in 32 games. Mele, a native of Sea Girt, N.J., was also an academic all-conference selection in 2006.

Jeanson, who is majoring in New Venture Management at Northeastern, is now a four-time academic all-conference selection. He spent the 2007 season mainly on special teams. Jeanson, who hails from Acton, Mass., picked up 298 kick return yards and had 12 tackles as a reserve safety. He finished his NU career 673 all-purpose yards, three touchdowns and 84 tackles in 41 career games.

Orio, who is majoring in Biochemistry at Northeastern, is now a three-time academic all-conference selection and was also named to the 2007 FCS Athletics Directors Association All-Academic team. In his third season as the Huskies' starting quarterback, Orio, who hails from Voorhees, N.J., set a career high in passing yards (1,558), passing efficiency (124.1), rushing yards (190) and rushing touchdowns (4). He is currently Northeastern's career leader in completion percentage at 56.7 percent.

Akinniyi, who is majoring in Supply Chain Management at Northeastern, earns his first academic award. The Rocklin, Calif. native started all 11 games in his first season of competition and made 42 tackles. He also had two sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a blocked punt.

This year's honorees gives Northeastern 23 academic all-conference selections in the tenure of head coach Rocky Hager.