Football | 12/3/2014 11:06:00 AM

Austin, Texas----Five Wingate University football student-athletes have been named to the Capital One Academic All-America® NCAA Division II football teams, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) (complete list). Wingate graduate student offensive lineman Will Poteat (Vale, N.C.) is a first team pick, while four Bulldogs receive second team laurels: redshirt senior tight end Brandon Ellington (Wilmington, N.C.), redshirt senior defensive back Jon Jimenez (Scottsdale, Ariz.), junior linebacker Eric Mapoles (Snellville, Ga.) and redshirt senior defensive lineman Nick Napolitano (Shallotte, N.C.).
 
Ellington is the first Wingate football student-athlete to earn Academic All-America® honors twice in his career. Ellington was a second team selection in 2013. Poteat, Jimenez, Mapoles and Napolitano are first-time Academic All-America® recipients. Wingate's five football honorees tie NCAA Division III Rose-Hulman for the most in the three NCAA divisions this season. On the 2014 NCAA Division II Academic All-America® football list, Chadron State (Neb.) was second with four selections.
 
The quintet gives Wingate Football 10 Academic All-America® honorees lifetime. Prior to Ellington's 2013 award, running back Andrew Nallenweg was named to the second team in 2012. Offensive linemen Austin Lowe (second team) and Ralph Curiel (first team) were honored in 2011 and 2010, respectively. Defensive end Frank Marino was a first team selection in 2006.
 
"We have always stressed academic excellence among our varsity athletes, but this is truly an exceptional achievement," Wingate president Dr. Jerry McGee says. "Congratulations to the athletes, their families and coaches." 
 
"…earning Capital One Academic All-America® recognition is one of the highest honors a student-athlete can receive," Wingate vice-president and director of athletics Steve Poston says. "Wingate University Athletics is proud of the many student-athletes who have received this distinction."
 
"The Capital One Academic All-America® list represents the best of the best of NCAA Division II student-athletes," Wingate head football coach Joe Reich says. "We are very proud of our five selections. They truly represent some of our finest student-athletes we've ever had in our football program at Wingate University. (For us) to have five selected in one season is truly an honor and representative of the type of student-athletes we are recruiting to Wingate."
 
Will Poteat
 
A May 2014 magna cum laude graduate with an accounting major, Poteat finished his WU undergraduate career with a 3.856 GPA. A 2014 team captain, Poteat was a semi-finalist for the National Football Foundation's National Scholar-Athlete Award this fall.
 
A three-year starter for the Bulldogs, Poteat has played every offensive line position (save center) during his career. On the field, Poteat is a two-time All-South Atlantic Conference selection (first team in 2014, second team in 2013). Poteat and the Bulldog O-Line helped quarterback Robbie Nallenweg ('14) earn a spot as one of 28 candidates in the running for the 2013 Harlon Hill Trophy.
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich on Poteat: "Will has been a real workhorse for us over the years. He is a tremendous character guy and tremendous in the classroom. He will leave here with a master's degree in accounting. He's very focused on what he wants to accomplish in life and one of the most organized and together student-athletes we've ever had. His leadership on the offensive line will be sorely missed."

Brandon Ellington

Ellington is a three-time All-SAC performer. He was a first team pick in 2014 and 2011 and a second team choice in 2013. Ellington had his best statistical season this year, as he caught 21 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his career with back-to-back, three-catch games against Mars Hill and Carson-Newman.
 
Ellington had 10 catches collectively (four, three and three) in 2014 victories over Catawba, Brevard and the MHU Lions. In the classroom, Ellington is a Sport Management major with a 3.878 GPA.
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich on Ellington: "Brandon is our first two-time football Capital One Academic All-America®. Brandon had another tremendous year this year and really finished the season strong. He's been a tremendous student, a tremendous athlete and even a better leader. I'm excited to see what Brandon will accomplish next and all the things ahead of him in his life."
 
Jon Jimenez

Jimenez led Wingate in tackles for the second year in a row, posting 80 stops during the 2014 season. A two-year starter and 2014 team captain, he added 5.5 tackles for loss, three pass break-ups, two interceptions and one fumble recovery to his statistics ledger. Jimenez returned an interception for a 55-yard touchdown at Newberry.
 
He concluded his Bulldog tenure with a season-high (and career-high tying) 13 tackles at Carson-Newman. The previous week, Jimenez recorded 10 stops in a home victory over Mars Hill. He had eight tackles versus Brevard and seven each against UNC Pembroke and Catawba, helping the Bulldogs to victory in each of the three games. Academically, Jimenez is a Sport Management major with a 3.417 GPA.
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich on Jimenez: "Jon made unbelievable progress year over the course of his career. He kept getting better and better. He's one of the most physical players we've ever had at Wingate…and obviously also one of the brightest…although I do sometimes question his sanity, because he wants to go into football coaching. We will surely miss him."

Eric Mapoles
 
Mapoles is one of only three NCAA Division II football student-athletes named to the 2014 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. He is a Management major (Finance minor) with a 3.762 GPA. A second team All-SAC performer, Mapoles had a season-high 13 stops versus Tusculum. He added 2.5 tackles for loss and one QB sack against the TC Pioneers. Mapoles concluded the 2014 campaign with 12 tackles at Carson-Newman.
 
He tied for second on the Wingate charts with 72 total tackles. The remainder of his statistics ledger includes 7.5 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, one forced fumble and one QB hurry. Mapoles had nine tackles in a home contest against number five Lenoir-Rhyne. He collected six tackles against UNC Pembroke and five each against Limestone and Catawba (all wins).
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich on Mapoles: "Eric really came on as the year progressed. He was a tremendous playmaker this year on the defensive side of the ball. He is smart on the field as well as in the classroom. He's one of those guys who is never out of position and always seems to have a knack of getting to the football. He is the only underclassmen of the bunch and hopefully will continue his accomplishments through next season."
 
Nick Napolitano
 
Napolitano was one of 28 candidates in the running for the 2014 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II college football Player of the Year. A three-time All-SAC selection, Napolitano was named to the 2014 first team after two years on the second team (2013, 2012). A two-year team captain, Napolitano is a Marketing major with a 3.325 GPA.
 
Napolitano is second in the NCAA Division II in forced fumbles (six). He charts in the SAC top four in forced fumbles (first with six), quarterback sacks (third with 7.5) and tackles for loss (fourth with 14). On the season, he had 65 tackles to place fifth on Wingate's 2014 list.
 
Napolitano was named SAC Player of the Week on two occasions this season, following victories over Limestone and Catawba. In the Limestone contest, he had two sacks and two forced fumbles in a 38-10 triumph. His statistics ledger in the Catawba win included 10 tackles, four QB hurries, 3.5 tackles for loss, one QB sack, one forced fumble and one pass break-up, helping the Bulldogs obtain a 30-19 decision.
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich on Napolitano: "Nick's football accomplishments are well-documented. He is our Harlon Hill Trophy nominee and one of the best players we've ever had…but obviously there's another side to him. He's a tremendous student as well. His work ethic from the football field carries over into the classroom."
 
In November, the five WU football student-athletes were named to the Capital One Academic All-Super Region 2 team. The Capital One Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2014-15 D-II Academic All-America® teams program.
 
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his current institution and be nominated by his sports information director.
 
Since the program's inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports. For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com.
 
CAPITAL ONE

Capital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A., and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $206.9 billion in deposits and $289.9 billion in total assets as of September 30, 2013. Headquartered in McLean, Va., Capital One offers a broad spectrum of financial products and services to consumers, small businesses and commercial clients through a variety of channels.
 
Capital One, N.A. has more than 900 branch locations primarily in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol COF and is included in the S&P 100 index.
 
An NCAA Corporate Champion, Capital One began its affiliation with college sports with the sponsorship of the 2001 Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl (later the Capital One Bowl) and ESPN's Capital One Bowl Week. In addition, Capital One sponsors the ABC College Football Halftime Report, the Capital One All-America Mascot team and the Capital One Academic All-America® Program and supports all 89 NCAA Championships including the Division I Men's and Women's Basketball Championships, and numerous other collegiate athletics programs.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 10th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past eight years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 72 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 72 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 81 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.