Nixon first Sun Devil to earn three straight First Team selections
<p>For the third consecutive season, Arizona State University senior football student-athlete <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nixon_mike00.html">Mike Nixon</a> 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. <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/love_grayling00.html">… Love</a> earned Second Team honors in 2003 before being named to the First team in both 2004 and 2005.</p><separator></separator><p>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.<br /><br />All-Time ASU Football Academic All-District VIII Selections<br />2009- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nixon_mike00.html">Mike Nixon</a><br />2008- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nixon_mike00.html">Mike Nixon</a><br />2007- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/nixon_mike00.html">Mike Nixon</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/rodd_brandon00.html">B… Rodd</a> (Second Team)<br />2006- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/miller_zach00.html">Za… Miller</a><br />2005- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/love_grayling00.html">… Love</a><br />2004- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/burke_jason00.html">Ja… Burke</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/love_grayling00.html">… Love</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ainsworth_jesse00.html… Ainsworth</a><br />2003- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/fulton_skyler00.html">… Fulton</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/love_grayling00.html">… Love</a> (Second Team)<br />2002- <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/howard_phil00.html">Ph… Howard</a>, <a href="http://thesundevils.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/barth_mike01.html">Mike Barth</a> (Second Team)</p>