Feb. 9, 2000

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Three University of Virginia student-athletes have been named to the 1999 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic football team as announced by ACC Commissioner John Swofford. To be eligible, a player must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the fall semester or have maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

Offensive guard Noel LaMontagne and defensive back Dwayne Stukes, who both competed this past season as graduate students, are among nine repeaters from last year's team, while junior quarterback Dan Ellis makes his first appearance on the team.

LaMontagne, a first-team All-America in 1999, earned first-team All-ACC honors in each of the past two years and was instrumental in paving the way for tailback Thomas Jones' record-setting season. LaMontagne also received the ACC's Jim Tatum Award, given annually to the top student-athlete among the league's senior football players.

Stukes battled injuries throughout the season and appeared in seven regular-season games and the Micronpc.com Bowl vs. Illinois. He recorded 28 tackles this fall, the second-highest total of his career and intercepted two passes. He also intercepted a pass in the bowl game.

LaMontagne and Stukes earned their undergraduate degrees in 1999, LaMontagne received his undergraduate degree in sociology in May 1999, while Stukes received his history degree in August. They were enrolled in the university's Curry School of Education this season.

Ellis tossed 20 touchdown passes, one off the school record, last fall in his first year as the starting quarterback. He guided the Cavaliers to last minute wins against North Carolina and Maryland and finished eighth nationally in passing efficiency. He set a school record (and tied the ACC mark) with six touchdown passes against Buffalo on Nov. 13. Ellis is a history and secondary education major.