AUSTIN, Texas – Four Carson-Newman football players have been tabbed to CoSIDA's Academic All-District team. William Alderman (Brooksville, Fla.) makes his second career appearance on the Academic All-District team, while Randall Freeman (Chattanooga, Tenn.), Charlie Rhea (Norcross, Ga.) and Dan Gallman (Naples, Fla.) all appear for the first time in their careers.
The Eagles have the second most Academic All-District honorees in the SAC to Wingate's five. Carson-Newman has the most honorees of any program in the state of Tennessee at any level.
Alderman is an exercise science major with a 3.32 GPA. A semifinalist for the William Campbell Trophy and AFCA Good Works Team nominee, Alderman is fourth on the team in tackles with 44. He leads C-N with 3.5 tackles for loss and took a 78-yard fumble recovery to the house in the Eagles' loss to Lenoir-Rhyne Saturday.
Alderman is a two-time member of the Dean's List and a two-time Eagle Scholar. He had a season high nine tackles in C-N's opening day win over Edinboro.
Freeman is one of a cadre of Carson-Newman running backs to tote the rock this season. A graphic design major with a 3.86 GPA. Freeman is a four-time member of the Dean's List and a two-time Eagle Scholar.
The senior from Chattanooga has carried the ball 50 times for 268 yards this season. He averages 44.7 yards per game.
Rhea hasn't been used often as a punter in his senior season, but when he has, he's been effective. Rhea has only punted 15 times this year, and never more than three times in a single game. He averages 36.3 yards per kick with four punts that have gone inside the opponent's 20. Only three of his punts have been returned this season.
Rhea is also a member of the Dean's List and a two-time Eagle Scholar. He has a 3.44 GPA an is an exercise science major.
Finally, Gallman has turned in a successful season for the Eagles on the offensive line. He's helped C-N score at least 31 points in every game and average 507 yards of total offense per game.
A business major with a 3.75 GPA, Gallman is second on the team in knockdowns with 10 this season and with an average grade of 73.6, is on pace to break Lucas Mathis' single season school record for best overall average grade for an offensive lineman.
Carson-Newman tries to get back on the winning track Saturday with a matchup at Newberry. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Pregame coverage on the Eagle Sports Network starts at 1 p.m. with the AEC Tailgate Show on Joy 620 (WRJZ-AM, Knoxville), Mountain Country 106.3 (WPFT-FM, Sevierville) and online at cneagles.com/live.
