GREENVILLE, S.C. -- James Cameron has been named to the 2003 Verizon Academic All-America University Division Tennis First Team, it was announced today.

A senior from Harrare, Zimbabwe, Cameron is the only tennis player at a state school or Southern Conference Institution to get a first-team nod, and is one of only two league athletes to make any of the three teams. He is also the third Furman tennis player to be so honored, joining Steve Price and Troy Goers, who were named to the 1986 team. A 2002 NCAA Doubles All-America, Cameron was the 2003 Southern Conference Player of the Year and the league¹s Male Athlete of the Year. This season he posted a 16-10 singles record and 18-6 doubles mark while playing No. 1 for the 14-12 Paladins. In the course of the year, he was ranked as high as No. 113 in singles and No. 19 in doubles by the ITA.

Furman football player Rodney Johnson and baseball pitcher Jon Stallsmith have already been honored by Verizon this year, giving Furman more first-team All-America selections than any other Southern Conference school. Runner Kevin Crosby is also on the national ballot for track and field, but the results have not yet been released.

³I couldn¹t be more proud of James,² said longtime Furman coach Paul Scarpa. ³He has always represented the school and team well , and is a fine example of the kind of student athletes Furman is associated with.²