Nov. 30, 2000

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern junior running back Damien Anderson (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) was named first team All-American by The Sporting News. The announcement was made today.

The Sporting News All-American Teams are voted on by the publication's editorial staff.

This is the fourth All-America honor for Anderson. Previously, he was named All-America by the Football Writers Association of America, Football News Magazine, and the Walter Camp Foundation.

Anderson, who helped lead the Wildcats to a share of the Big Ten title and a spot in the SYLVANIA Alamo Bowl, set several school records this season. Prominent among them were the single-season records for rushing yards (1,914) and touchdowns (22). He finished second nationally in rushing with 174.0 yards per game, and shattered Lorenzo White's Big Ten records for rushing yards (1,549) and rushing average (193.6) in conference games. Most amazingly, Anderson set the conference marks with 54 fewer carries than White needed in 1985. Overall this season, Anderson averaged a staggering 6.5 yards per carry in 2000. Perhaps most amazingly, Anderson did not fumble during the entire season, covering 293 rushing attempts.

Anderson had four games over the 200-yard mark, a school record, including a 292-yard day against Indiana that was the third-best rushing day in school history and a 268-yard day against Michigan that was the best individual rushing performance ever against a Wolverine defense by 67 yards. He also had four-touchdown games against Indiana and Illinois, tying a single-game mark in the process.

With one full season still to play, Anderson has 3,579 yards rushing which leaves him 214 yards shy of Darnell Autry's all-time school rushing record.

The Sporting News also named Wildcat wide receiver Kunle Patrick (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep CD) a Third Team Freshman All-American. Patrick finished the 2000 season with 32 catches and 363 receiving yards, good for third on the team in both categories. He also had one touchdown.

THE 2000 SPORTING NEWS ALL-AMERICAN FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
QB - Josh Heupel, Oklahoma
RB - DAMIEN ANDERSON, NORTHWESTERN
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU
TE - Brian Natkin, Texas El-Paso
WR - Freddie Mitchell, UCLA
WR - Marvin Minnis, Florida State
C - Ben Hamilton, Minnesota
OG - Russ Hochstein, Nebraska
OG - Steve Hutchinson, Michigan
OT - Leonard Davis, Texas
OT - Chad Ward, Washington
K - Jonathon Ruffin, Cincinnati
KR - Santana Moss, Miami (Fla.)

DEFENSE
DE - Jamal Reynolds, Florida State
DL - John Henderson, Tennessee
DL - Casey Hampton, Texas
DE - Andre Carter, California
LB - Keith Adams, Clemson
LB - Dan Morgan, Miami (Fla.)
LB - Rocky Calmus, Oklahoma
CB - Tay Cody, Florida State
CB - Fred Smoot, Mississippi State
SS - Mike Doss, Ohio State
FS - J.T. Thatcher, Oklahoma
P - Brian Morton, Duke