Paul Musille

ERIE, Pa. -- Gannon University's Val Adams (Sr., Erie, Pa./McDowell) and Paul Musille (Sr., Canton, Ohio/Glen Oak) have been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II at-large first teams. The at-large teams consist of all sports with the exception of football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, softball and cross country/track & field.

Adams landed a spot on the women’s first team for the second consecutive season. The senior was a two-sport athlete, being a standout for Gannon’s water polo and swim teams. Adams concluded her water polo career with 21 goals, 19 assists, 24 steals, and 15 earned kickouts in 2008. She ranks third all-time at Gannon in assists (74), fifth in steals (137), fifth in earned kickouts (61), and seventh in goals (84).

The Erie, Pa., native participated in the 400-yard IM, 200-yard backstroke, and 800-freestyle relay during the 2007-08 swim season. Adams was also part of the relay team that holds the school record (4:06.80) in the 400-yard medley relay.

In the classroom, Adams owns a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in Mechanical Engineering. She is also a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-Academic team.

Musille, another two-sport athlete who participated in water polo and swimming, received his first academic all-district honor by landing a spot on the men’s first team. The senior capped his collegiate career with a bang, becoming the second male swimmer in school history to qualify for the NCAA Division II National Championships. He qualified in the 50-freestyle, 100-freestyle, and 200-freestyle. At the national championships, Musille broke school records in the 50-freestyle (20.87) and 200-freestyle (1:41.35). He also owns the school record in the 100-freestyle (45.85) while being part of relay teams that hold school records in the 200-yard freestyle (1:23.88), the 400-yard freestyle (3:06.20), the 200-yard medley (1:33.70), and the 400-yard medley (3:29.55).

The Canton, Ohio native was just as good as a water polo player. Musille recorded 44 goals, 19 assists, 16 steals, 52 earned kickouts, and 23 sprintoffs in 2007. He ranks second all-time at Gannon in sprintoffs (60), fifth in goals (106), and seventh in steals (126).

In the classroom, Musille has a 3.75 cumulative grade-point average while majoring in Biotechnology. He is also a member of the GLIAC All-Academic team.

The 2008 Academic All-District II at-large teams were selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The 10 first-team members, including Adams and Musille, will now move to the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration. The All-America men’s team is scheduled to be released Tuesday, June 10 while the women’s squad will be released Thursday, June 12.

The District II College Division consists of all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To be nominated for the Academic All-America program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average and a starter or significant reserve on her team.

The complete 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II teams can be found at http://www.cosida.com/Academic%20All-America/0708aad.aspx.