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Dec. 1, 2009

ST. LOUIS - Illinois State sophomores Eric Brunner and Cliffton Gordon were among 43 student-athletes named to the 2009 Missouri Valley Football Confer¬ence All-Academic Team, as announced by the league office today. Brunner was tabbed as a second-team selection while Gordon was named honorable mention.

Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average (4.0 scale). Student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institutions (freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution. League sports information directors voted on the team by designating 11 players for first-team honors and 11 players for second-team honors.

Brunner started in all 11 games on the defensive line for the Redbirds and holds a 3.55 cumulative GPA in finance at Illinois State. The Greendale, Wis., native was chosen as a second-team all-conference selection after ranking fifth on the team with 47 tackles, including 23 solo stops. He also added 1.5 sacks, seven tackles-for-loss and was credited with a team-high seven quarterback hurries in his first season as a starter. Brunner recorded a career-high nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss against Western Illinois (Nov. 7) and finished the season with seven tackles in an upset win over No. 9 Northern Iowa (Nov. 21).

Gordon played in all 11 games and started the last three at running back for the Redbirds. The Chicago Heights, Ill., native has accumulated a 3.24 GPA in business administration at Illinois State and led ISU with 150 carries for 572 yards in 2009. He rushed for a team-high seven touchdowns and added one TD reception to finish with a team-high eight overall. Gordon was named the MVFC Offensive Player of the Week after he rushed for 96 yards and four touchdowns against Austin Peay (Sept. 19) and later recorded back-to-back 100+ yard rushing performances against Missouri State (Oct. 31) and Western Illinois (Nov. 7).