ENMU Places Three Players on ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Football Team
Rush, Tennison and Davalos are First Team Selections

PORTALES, N.M. — Eastern New Mexico University has placed three players on the 2005 ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-District 6 Football Team, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). All three ENMU players were named to the First Team. A Second Team was not selected this year because there were too few nominees to trigger additional awards.

Eastern’s list of Academic All-District players includes senior offensive guard Tyson Rush (6’6”, 310 lbs., Williamsburg, NM/Hot Springs HS), senior tight end Artemus Tennison (6’1”, 215 lbs., Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) and junior running back Fide Davalos (6’0”, 202 lbs., Portales, NM/ Floyd HS). A total of 24 players were selected to the Academic All-District squad.

CoSIDA District VI includes colleges and universities in New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Players nominated for the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team were starters or key reserves with cumulative grade point averages of 3.2 or higher (4.0 scale). Each player was at his current college or university for at least one academic year.

The College Division includes players in NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and the NAIA. The Greyhounds compete in NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference. ENMU concluded the 2005 season with a 5-6 record, including 2-4 in the LSC South (5th place tie). The Greyhounds played seven teams that finished the regular season nationally or regionally ranked.

Rush was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District First Team for the second consecutive season. He was chosen Second Team Academic All-District in 2003. This fall, he was a leader in the offensive line, as Eastern rushed for a school record 3,333 yards to rank fourth in NCAA Division II in rushing yards per game (303.0) during the regular season. ENMU averaged 373.4 total yards per game.

In 2004, Rush provided key blocks that helped Eastern gain 223.2 rushing yards per game to lead the LSC and rank 20th in NCAA Division II. He also helped the Greyhounds average 351.9 total yards per game. In 2003, he combined with other ENMU linemen to lead the way to 352.9 total yards and 238.2 rushing yards per game. He also saw action as a freshman in 2002, when Eastern set three school records: 4,457 total yards (405.2 avg.); 3,188 rushing yards (289.8 avg., broken in 2005); 339 points.

Rush is majoring in Mathematics at Eastern. He has achieved a 3.73 cumulative GPA. He was chosen for the LSC South All-Academic Team in 2004. He qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Tennison was named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District for the first time. He was chosen Second Team Academic All-District in 2003. In four seasons at ENMU, he was used primarily as a blocking tight end. He contributed to Eastern’s outstanding rushing attack, which ranked fourth in NCAA Division II this season, after ranking third in 2002, ninth in 2003 and 20th in 2004. He started all 43 games the past four seasons.

During his career, Tennison caught 16 passes for 350 yards, an average of 21.9 yards per catch. He scored four touchdowns, with two against Texas A&M University-Commerce in 2002 and two versus Angelo State University in 2003. This year, he caught one pass for 40 yards in Eastern’s 38-14 win over previously undefeated Angelo State during the ENMU Homecoming game on Oct. 1.

Tennison is majoring in Accounting and has a 3.23 cumulative GPA. He qualified for the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2003.

Davalos was chosen First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District for the first time. He carried the ball 71 times for 348 yards and four touchdowns. He ranked third on the team in rushing yards and tied for second in touchdowns. He averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He also caught five passes for 150 yards (30.0 avg.) and two touchdowns. His longest plays of the year covered 53 yards on the ground and 64 yards on a pass reception.

In three seasons with the Greyhounds, Davalos has rushed for 608 yards on 148 carries. He has scored six rushing touchdowns. He also has caught 24 passes for 331 yards and three touchdowns. Including two kickoff returns, he has gained 955 all-purpose yards during his career.

Davalos has achieved a 3.21 cumulative GPA at Eastern New Mexico University. He is majoring in Biology. He was named to the LSC South Commissioner’s Honor Roll in 2003.