Ty Touchstone Named CoSIDA First Team Academic All-America

PORTALES, NM - Eastern New Mexico University junior free safety Ty Touchstone (5'11", 180 lbs., Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) has been chosen as a First Team selection on the 2003 CoSIDA Academic All-America College Division Football Team, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Touchstone was a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-America selection in 2002.

"He is not only a good student of the game of football, he's also a great student in the classroom," said ENMU Offensive Coordinator Mike Howard, who monitors the team's academic progress. "He exemplifies the Eastern New Mexico University philosophy of 'graduating and winning'. He is a winner on and off the field."

Touchstone was the only Lone Star Conference player named to the First Team and was one of two LSC players overall. Bo Beckendam, a senor defensive lineman at Southeastern Oklahoma State University was named to the Second Team.

A total of 24 players received First Team recognition. An additional 24 players were chosen for the Second Team.

Players nominated in the CoSIDA Academic All-America program were starters or key reserves for their respective teams. The achieved cumulative GPAs of 3.2 or higher (4.0 scale). Each player was at his current college or university for at least one full academic year.

The College Division includes players in NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and the NAIA. The Greyhounds, led by Head Coach Harold "Bud" Elliott (10th year), compete in NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference. Eastern finished the 2003 season with a 6-5 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the LSC South. It was ENMU's sixth consecutive winning season.

1st Team CoSIDA Academic All-America

Touchstone registered 66 tackles this season (41 solo tackles) to rank second on the Eastern New Mexico University squad. He earned one tackle for a loss, broke up one pass, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

He has achieved 212 career tackles, with 134 unassisted tackles, five tackles for losses, six passes broken up, and five interceptions. He was Eastern's top tackler in 2002, when he recorded 109 total tackles, including team highs for unassisted tackles (73), assisted tackles (36) and interceptions (4). He earned First Team All-LSC South honors in 2002, was named Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-America in 2002 and was a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District VI selection in 2002 and 2003.

Touchstone was chosen for the LSC All-Academic Team each of the past two seasons. He owns a perfect 4.0 grade point average at ENMU and is majoring in Business Administration with an emphasis in Computer Information Systems.

A total of 12 ENMU football players have been named First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District VI in the past five seasons, including four players in 2003 and five players in 2002. Touchstone is believed to be the first Eastern New Mexico University football named First Team CoSIDA Academic All-America.