Feb. 22, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — University of New Mexico senior Roman Martinez has been named to the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® Men’s Basketball teams, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. The El Paso, Texas, native earned second team honors and is the first Lobo named to the Academic All-America Teams since Rich Pokorski in 1975.
“It means a lot,” said Martinez, who appropriately was working on a class project at the Albuquerque International Sunport when informed of the honor earlier today. “All the late nights of studying, working before and after practice, it means a lot to have something to show for it.”
Martinez, a co-captain and the only senior for the No. 10/12 ranked Lobos, carries a 3.48 cumulative grade point average in business administration with an emphasis in marketing and is on schedule to graduate this upcoming May.
On the court, Martinez is just the third Lobo to reach 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 150 3-pointers in a career. He currently ranks 24th all-time at UNM with 1,059 points, 13th with 595 rebounds and seventh with 182 3-pointers.
Martinez is a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District VI honoree and has been named Academic All-Mountain West Conference each of the past three seasons. Earlier in the season, he was tabbed as one of 30 NCAA Division I Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award candidates, given for notable achievement in classroom, character, community and competition. He was also a semi-finalist for the Coach Wooden Citizen Cup, given for behavior as a player, plus contributions to the college community and society.
“It is a tribute to Roman,” said Lobo head coach Steve Alford. “Not only is he a great player, but he is a tremendous student. When you start looking for ways to explain what a student-athlete is supposed to look like and emulate, it’s Roman Martinez. We’re very excited for him and it’s also a great, great thing for our program to have an Academic All-American.”
The Lobos are on the road, preparing to take on Colorado State in Fort Collins, Colo. on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. (MST).
2009-10 ESPN THE MAGAZINE Academic All-America®
Men’s Basketball Team (University Division) as selected by CoSIDA
FIRST TEAM Name School Dist. Yr. Hometown GPA Major Tim Abromaitis Notre Dame V Jr. Unionville, Conn. 3.72 Finance Cole Aldrich Kansas VII Jr. Bloomington, Minn. 3.32 Communication studies Patrick Foley (3) Columbia I Sr. Blue Point, N.Y. 3.87 History Matt Howard (2) Butler V Jr. Connersville, Ind. 3.77 Finance Yves Mekongo (2) La Salle II Sr. Elizabeth, N.J. 3.81 Int. Science, Business & Tech.
SECOND TEAM
Name School Dist. Yr. Hometown GPA Major
Luke Babbitt Nevada VIII So. Reno, Nev. 3.51 Pre-business
Administration
Marc Larson Bowling Green IV Sr. Mattawan, Mich. 3.97 Engineering Technology
Roman Martinez New Mexico VI Sr. El Paso, Texas 3.48 Business Admin./
Marketing
E’Twaun Moore Purdue V Jr. East Chicago, Ind. 3.30 Org. Leadership &
Supervision
Nick Schneiders USC Upstate III Sr. Rietberg, Germany 3.71 Graphic Design
THIRD TEAM
Name School Dist. Yr. Hometown GPA Major
Devon Beitzel Northern Colo. VII Jr. Lafayette, Colo. 3.72 Finance & Accounting
Graham Hatch Wichita State VII Jr. Mesa, Ariz. 3.73 Chemistry
Gordon Hayward Butler V So. Brownsburg, Ind. 3.31 Computer Engineering
Matthew Mullery Brown I Sr. Millstone, N.J. 3.31 Modern American History
Jake Robinson W. Carolina III Sr. Canton, N.C. 3.40 Finance
Academic All-America of the Year: Cole Aldrich, Kansas