Press Release

Nov. 25, 2009

Burnsides, Paddock Earn Academic All-America Honors

Myles Burnsides	Sean Paddock

MARYVILLE, Mo.-Northwest Missouri State seniors Myles Burnsides and Sean Paddock have been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Football Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Burnsides, a safety from Maryville, is a repeat selection for the award. He's a first-team selection this season after earning second-team honors a year ago. Paddock, a defensive end from Bettendorf, Iowa, is a second-team choice and a first-time honoree.

Burnsides and Paddock have earned All-America status for their performance on the field. They're now being recognized for their work in the classroom. Burnsides graduated last year with a 3.9 grade point average and a degree in business management. He is in his first year of graduate school. Paddock maintains a 3.74 grade point average while also majoring in business management.

The duo is part of a senior class that is 50-6 in its time as Bearcats, including a 36-0 finish in MIAA play and a 26-1 record at home. Both have competed in the last three national championship games.

Burnsides, last year's national defensive player of the year, is a first-team all-conference and all-region choice again this season. Burnsides is Northwest's second-leading tackler with 60 stops. He's also tied for the team lead with four interceptions including one he returned for a touchdown against Fort Hays State.

Burnsides has 272 tackles in his four-year career and will likely move into eighth place on the Bearcats' all-time list for stops Saturday against Central Washington (he needs four). His 15 career interceptions rank fifth.

Paddock was a second-team All-MIAA choice despite missing five games with a foot injury. He returned to action two games ago and last week, tied Northwest's all-time record for career tackles-for-loss (42). He reached the mark with his 26th career sack, which is a program record.

Paddock leads the team with 6.5 sacks despite the time away. He has 32 tackles and eight tackles-for-loss this season.