Eric Castro named FIRST-TEAM Academic All-America

[Webmaster]

CASTRO NAMED ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA

DALLAS (SMU) --- SMU> '> s Eric Castro was named to ESPN The Magazine's Academic All-America First Team. The team is selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Castro is the second Academic All-American in SMU basketball history, joining Pete Lodwick who accomplished the feat during the 1976-77 season. Castro will graduate this May and currently has a 3.8 grade-point-average while majoring in accounting and sociology.

The senior from Oklahoma City is having the best season of his career, with personal highs in points (14.3), rebounds (7.2), blocks (0.6), and assists (2.0). He ranks among the Western Athletic Conference's top-10 of six different categories during league play: 10th in scoring at 15.1, tied for seventh in rebounding at 7.1, fourth in field goal percentage at .529, tied for ninth in steals at 1.44, and third in offensive rebounds at 3.25. Castro is also 31st in the NCAA in field goal percentage at .570.

Castro became the 34th SMU player to score 1,000 career points during the Mustangs' 71-65 win over Hawaii at Moody Coliseum on Feb. 12. He has also tied or set single-game career-highs in seven different categories, including a personal-best of 28 points in the Ponies' 95-83 overtime win at Tulsa on Jan. 1.

Castro has helped the Mustangs to a 13-12 overall record and an 8-8 mark in the WAC. The Mustangs conclude the regular season with home games against Tulsa on March 3 at 7 p.m. and against Rice on March 5 at 7 p.m. The senior class of Castro, Michael Dement, Justin Isham, Brian Miller, and Patrick Simpson will be honored before the Rice contest Saturday.

Academic All-America Team - Selected by CoSIDA
2005 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America - University Division Men's Basketball

First Team
Name School Year Hometown GPA Major
Eric Castro Southern Methodist Sr. Oklahoma City, Okla. 3.80 Sociology/Accounting
Will Emerson Mercer Jr. Saint Mary> '> s, Ga. 4.00 Biology
Johannes Herber West Virginia Jr. Darmstadt, Germany 4.00 Political Science
Chris Hill Michigan State Sr. Indianapolis, Ind. 3.75 Finance
Derek Winans Southeast Missouri State Sr. East Cape Girardeau, Ill. 3.97 Business

[Hoop Fan]

wow, thats a tremendous individual honor. Congratulations Eric Castro.

[OldPony]

Cool!!!

[Corso]

Congratulations, Eric!
Great job, on the court and in the classroom. Your making your PonyFans proud.
Now go kick some tail in the last few games and the WAC tournament!

[ClassOf81]

This honor simply couldn't go to a better young man.
Eric is a first-class player, student and representative of SMU.
Congratulations.