Nov. 26, 2008

Senior defensive back Brandon Patterson was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America football team for the second straight season as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Patterson has been named as a second-team All-American in both 2007 and 2008, and becomes the only Tiger football player to earn such a distinction twice in his career. Last year, Patterson was the first football Academic All-American since 1992.

A native of Germantown, Tenn., Patterson graduated from the U of M in August 2007 with a bachelor's degree in finance, and currently holds a 3.7 grade point average in graduate school. He is on target to earn his master's degree in finance next month. In 2007, Patterson was also named to the C-USA All-Academic Football team.

Heading into this weekend's regular-season finale with Tulane, Patterson is tied for third on the team in tackles with 56. He posted eight tackles in back-to-back games versus Ole Miss and Rice to start the season, and made a 16-yard return on an interception against Rice. For his career, he totals 193 tackles and nine career interceptions, and has made 33 career starts in the secondary.