Dec. 1, 2003

BALTIMORE, Md. -- Johns Hopkins University senior linebacker Paul Longo (Kensington, MD/Bethesda-Chevy Chase) has been named a Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American it was announced today. Longo recently completed his career by leading the Johns Hopkins football team to a 10-1 record, a share of the 2003 Centennial Conference title and the 2003 ECAC South Atlantic Championship. Longo was one of seven Blue Jay football players who had previously been named to the CoSIDA District II Academic All-America team. Of those seven, five earned first team honors and were on the ballot to receive national academic all-america honors. This is the eighth time Johns Hopkins has had a football player earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Six of the eight have been honored since head coach Jim Margraff took over in 1990.

A starter at linebacker and a team captain this season, Longo is majoring in political science and carries a 3.72 cumulative grade point average. A three-time member of the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll, Longo has been named to the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and has completed internships with the Baltimore Sun and the National Institute of Aging. He worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies last summer and has done volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity. He was named a CoSIDA District II Academic All-American in 2002 and 2003.

On the field, Longo finished the 2003 season tied for third on he team in tackles (65) and counted eight tackles for losses and half a sack among his total. He added three interceptions and two forced fumbles to help lead a Johns Hopkins defense that didn't allow more than 14 points in a game this season and held eight of 11 opponents to 10 points or less. The Blue Jays were ranked among the national leaders in nearly every statistical category during the 2003 season and finished the season allowing just 242.2 yards and 7.0 points per game. They also came up with 28 interceptions while allowing just two touchdown passes and the opposition completed just 136-of-336 pass attempts (.405) for 1,425 yards in 11 games. For his efforts Longo was named a First Team Centennial All-Star in 2003 after earning second team honors in 2002.

During Longo's career, the Blue Jays set school records for wins in one season (10 / 2003), two seasons (19 / 2002-03), three seasons (25 / 2001-2003) and four seasons (30 / 2000-03). Hopkins is 19-3 in the last two years and 21-3 over its last 24 games dating back to the end of the 2001 season. The Blue Jays spent the entire 2003 season ranked in the top 30 and were ranked as high as 13th in late October after winning their first seven games.

Johns Hopkins' All-Time CoSIDA Academic All-Americans

2003: Paul Longo - LB - 2nd Team

1998: Chris Baugh - OL - 1st Team

1998: Larry Gulotta - DL - 2nd Team

1994: Michael House - DL - 1st Team

1993: Michael House - DL - 1st Team

1993: Stu Markley - LB - 2nd Team

1977: Charles Hauck - DL - 1st Team

1977: Jim Schoettler - DL - 2nd Team

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