Nov. 25, 2003
WACO, Texas - Senior linebacker Stephen Sepulveda and redshirt freshman punter Daniel Sepulveda both earned first-team Academic All-Big 12 Conference honors, the league office announced Tuesday. Sophomore linebacker Tyler Lindstrom and senior deep snapper Matt Waller were named to the second team.
Stephen Sepulveda is a graduate of Highland Park High School in Dallas, and he is an accounting major at Baylor. He finished the season with 45 total tackles, including three for loss, one sack and five quarterback hurries. For his career, Stephen finished with 171 total tackles, 13 behind the line, with three sacks.
Daniel Sepulveda, younger brother of Stephen, is also a graduate of Highland Park High School in Dallas, and he is a pre-business major at Baylor. This fall, Daniel burst on the scene as one of the nation's top punters. He established school records for total punting yardage and punts of 50-plus yards. He also became the first punter in school history with at least one punt of 50-plus yards in every game.
Lindstrom, a pre-business major at Baylor, graduated from Millard West High School in Omaha, Neb. He was a valuable member of Baylor's special teams units this season and saw spot action at linebacker. He made key blocks on both of Robert Quiroga's memorable kickoff returns for touchdown. Lindstrom finished the season with 12 tackles, including eight solo efforts.
Waller, a graduate of Cypress Falls High School in Houston, is a psychology major at Baylor. A former walk-on, Waller earned a scholarship prior to the 2003 season and handled deep-snap responsibilities on Baylor's punts and place kicks.
Nominated by each institution's director of student-athlete support services and the media relations offices, the football academic all-league squad consisted of 76 first-team members combined with 51 on the second team. First team members consist of those who have maintained a 3.20 or better GPA, while the second team are those who have a 3.00 to 3.19 GPA.
To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of his team's scheduled contests for the season. Freshmen and transfers are not eligible in their first year of academic residence. Senior student-athletes who have participated for a minimum of two years and meet all the criteria except percent of participation are eligible.
