Nixon first Sun Devil to earn three straight First Team selections

For the third consecutive season, Arizona State University senior football student-athlete Mike Nixon has been named a First Team Academic All-District VIII selection by ESPN The Magazine. Nixon becomes the first football student-athlete in school history to earn First Team honors three straight seasons. Grayling Love earned Second Team honors in 2003 before being named to the First team in both 2004 and 2005.

Nixon, who has earned First Team Academic All-Pac-10 selections in each of the past two seasons, leads the Sun Devils with 49 total tackles. The team co-captain has started all eight games, recording 4.5 tackles for loss, half a sack, four pass break-ups and three forced fumbles. In the season opener against Idaho State, Nixon blocked a punt and intercepted three passes, returning one for a touchdown. He was named the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week following the game. The Sunnyslope High School product carries a 4.07 GPA and is a political science major.

All-Time ASU Football Academic All-District VIII Selections
2009- Mike Nixon
2008- Mike Nixon
2007- Mike Nixon, Brandon Rodd (Second Team)
2006- Zach Miller
2005- Grayling Love
2004- Jason Burke, Grayling Love, Jesse Ainsworth
2003- Skyler Fulton, Grayling Love (Second Team)
2002- Phil Howard, Mike Barth (Second Team)