It’s the first time since 2002 that the Hilltoppers have had an individual on the first-team. Rumph joins Derek Forster (2001), Brian Lowder (2002) and Jason Michael (’02) as WKU players to be selected first-team academic all-conference.
A 6-foot-2, 190-pound sophomore from Bradenton, Fla., Rumph was chosen second-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV earlier in the month. He led the Toppers with a career-high 93 total tackles this year, adding four passes defensed and an interception. Rumph — who ranks third in the league in stops per contest — had four games with at least 10 tackles while pacing WKU in the category on five occasions.
James leads the Gateway in both scoring (7.9 points per game) and field goals (1.36 pg), as he stands in the top 25 nationally in both categories. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound sophomore from Fayetteville, Ga., converted 15-of-17 field-goal attempts this season while making all 42 points-after-touchdown — he finished fourth on WKU’s season record list in the former category, while his team-leading 87 points were the fifth-highest season total ever posted by a Hilltopper.
Both players were on the Gateway Conference Academic Honor Roll as freshmen, with James also earning the GFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award.
Voting was conducted among the league’s eight sports information directors. Individuals must be starters or important reserves with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade-point average, and must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their school.
