TOLEDO, OH -Sophomore G Rian Pearson has been named to the 2011-12 Academic All-MAC Team, the conference office has announced. A total of five student-athletes were named to the team that was voted on by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions.

     Pearson, who was a first-team NABC All-District 14 and second-team All-MAC honoree and finished third in MAC Player of the Year voting, tied for the league lead in scoring (16.4 ppg) and was third in rebounding (8.3 rpg) and tied for sixth in steals (1.6 spg). He was the only player in the conference to rank in the league's Top 10 in points, rebounds and steals and ranked second in the conference with 10 double-doubles. Pearson led UT in scoring on a team-high 17 occasions and in rebounding 28 times.

     A Raytown, MO native with a 3.205 GPA in individualized studies, Pearson scored 20 or more points on 12 occasions, including a career-high 29-point, 12-rebound, four-steal performance at MAC regular-season champion Akron (Feb. 1). He also finished fifth nationally in rebounding among guards.

     Joining Pearson on the squad were Akron's Brian Walsh, Ball State's Matt Kamieniecki, Buffalo's Tony Watson and Western Michigan's Brandon Pokley.

     The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.