David Ledet Named to 2004 ESPN Academic All-America Team

(All-Academic Team)

11/22/04 -- Long Island University senior David Ledet (Houma, La.) has been named to the 2004 ESPN Academic All-America Men's Soccer First Team.

Ledet, a double major in English and Political Science, carries a 3.88 grade-point average. Avidly interested in politics, the senior member of the University Honors Program was recently awarded a fellowship with the Center for the Study of the Presidency. The center is a exclusive non-resident educational initiative which offers 65 select undergraduate and graduate students from leading colleges and universities, a year-long opportunity to study the U.S. Presidency. In addition, the fellowship will focus on the public policymaking process and the President’s relationships with Congress, allies, the media and the American public.

This past summer, Ledet interned with the Institute of International Education. He worked with the Scholar Rescue Fund., a program that provides support and safe haven to scholars around the world who are threatened as a result of their academic vocation.

In 2003, he was one of only 15 students among several New York City colleges to receive a Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship. The honor was bestowed on individuals who possessed the necessary traits - through leadership and creativity - to aid in developing a stronger society.

Ledet, an integral member of the Blackbirds’ defense, helped lead the squad to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1986. The 2004 Northeast Conference tournament champions fell to American University, 3-0, this past weekend in Washington, D.C.

The Louisiana native started 71-of-73 games in his four-year career, including all 19 contests this past fall. He was a key component in LIU’s run to the NEC title, limiting conference opponents to just five goals. On the offensive side, Ledet raised his career assist total to 14, notching three this season.

Created in 1952 by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), the Academic All-America teams program is the premier, nationwide college scholar-athlete awards program. It recognizes over 800 outstanding student-athletes annually in NCAA Division I, II and III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports.

The Academic All-America Teams program honors 816 male and female student-athletes and the average GPA of the 22 first team men's soccer selections was an impressive 3.87. A total of 14,000 student-athletes in Division I, II, III and NAIA covering all NCAA championship sports are named Academic All-America.

To be nominated for the Academic All-America team, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore starter or significant reserve on his team with a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average.