Senior cornerback Casey Gerald, defensive tackle Kyle Hawari and fullback Shebby Swett were all named to the 2008 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District team making them eligible for academic All-American status.

Gerald, one of 15 candidates for the Draddy Award given for academic excellence to a senior college football player, has started the last 27 games at cornerback for the Bulldogs. Gerald, a political science major, has a 3.70 grade point average. He also is one of 10 finalists for the Awards and Recognition Association Sportsmanship Award. Gerald is the only Ivy Leaguer on the list of finalists.

Hawari, who moved from defensive end to defensive tackle, leads Yale and the Ivy League with six sacks this season. Hawari is a history major with a 3.65 GPA.

Swett, the lead blocker for record-breaking Yale tailback Mike McLeod, has not carried the ball this season but he does have two catches for 10 yards including a 5-yard TD reception in a season-opening win over Georgetown. Swett is a history major with a 3.72 grade point average.

Yale, Dartmouth, Holy Cross and Syracuse lead the way with three players each named to the 24-player squad. Steve Tedesco, a junior receiver who has a team-best 65 catches for Sacred Heart University, is the only other Connecticut player on the first team. Tedesco is a history major with a 3.38 GPA.