THREE FOOTBALL DUKES NAMED ALL-AMERICA BY I-AA.ORG

HARRISONBURG (7/15/05) – Three James Madison University football players are included on preseason All-America teams recently named by the news service I-AA.org.

Junior offensive tackle Corey Davis (Hampton, Va./Kecoughtan) and sophomore free safety Tony LeZotte (Augusta, Ga./Westside) were first-team selections, and senior offensive guard Matt Magerko (Farnham, Va./Northumberland) was a second-team choice. All three were leading performers on JMU's 2004 team that won the NCAA Division I-AA championship.

The news service named three preseason All-America teams on both offense and defense and recognized 75 players from 44 teams overall. JMU is among only three teams with two first-team choices and among only eight teams with as many as three overall honorees. JMU's three selections are among 15 honorees from the Atlantic 10, the most of any conference.

Davis has been a starter on the offensive line throughout each of his two JMU seasons, at guard as a true freshman in 2003 and at tackle in 2004.

LeZotte started throughout 2004 as a red-shirt freshman and led JMU with 144 tackles. He was co-rookie of the year in the Atlantic 10 and a first-team selection to the All-Atlantic 10 team and to All-Virginia squads named by the Roanoke Times and the state's sports information directors association. A year ago he was a first-team All-America by I-AA.org, a second-team honoree by Associated Press and Football Weekly, and a third-team choice by The Sports Network.

Magerko was the Dukes' starter at center in 2003 and a starter at guard throughout 2004 when he earned first-team All-America honors from Associated Press. Last season he also was first-team All-Atlantic 10 and All-Virginia by the Roanoke Times and the state's sports information directors association, and he was named JMU's male athlete of the year.

JMU completed the 2004 season with a 13-2 record and became the first Division I-AA team to reach the national championship game by winning three straight road contests.

The Dukes open their 2005 schedule Sept. 3 in a 6 p.m. home game with Lock Haven.