Wake Forest Athletics
Justice, Swank Chosen Preseason All-Americans
4/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 27, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest rising senior center Steve Justice and rising junior placekicker Sam Swank have been selected as preseason All-Americans by the website NationalChamps.net. Swank was a second team selection while Justice was listed on the third team. Both players are returning first team All-ACC selections.
Just a sophomore in 2006, Swank was a first team All-American and was voted the ACC Championship Game's Most Valuable Player. He was named Wake Forest's Most Valuable Player in a vote by his teammates. The native of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., was the only player in the nation to be named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award as college football's best placekicker and the Ray Guy Award as college football's best punter. Swank set 11 new school records during his sophomore campaign. He made 23 of 31 field goals, including 5-of-7 from beyond 50 yards. Three of those 50-plus yard blasts came in the NC State game, tying an NCAA record.
On Wake Forest's grading scale, Justice was the team's top offensive lineman in 2006 at 92 percent for the season. He was named first team All-ACC by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association and College Football News. The native of Port Orange, Fla., was a two-time recipient of the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week award. He tied for the team lead with 843 snaps out of 861, playing about 98 percent of all offensive plays. He recorded 11 performances of 90 percent or better, highlighted by a perfect 100 percent performance against Connecticut. Justice posted a 99 percent in the ACC Championship Game against Georgia Tech and a 94 percent in the FedEx Orange Bowl against Louisville.
