Jan. 3, 2003

Chapel Hill, N.C. ----- University of North Carolina freshmen football players Doug Justice, Derrele Mitchell, Kyle Ralph, Steven Bell have all been named to The Sporting News ACC All-Freshman Team. In addition, Justice was named to the magazine's freshman All-America fourth team.

A redshirt freshman linebacker from Port Orange, Fla., Justice started 11 games and finished second on the team with 97 tackles, including 69 solo stops and 28 assists. Justice also forced three fumbles, recorded two tackles for losses and had one interception.

Mitchell, a true freshman wide receiver from Winston-Salem, led the Tar Heels with 16.1 yards per reception. He caught 14 passes for 225 yards, including a 42-yard reception in Carolina's win at Syracuse.

Ralph and Bell saw plenty of action at guard on the Tar Heel offense line. A true freshman from Cincinnati, Ralph started the last five games of the season and played well. Bell, a redshirt freshman from Greensboro, played in eight games and started against Wake Forest and Maryland.

THE SPORTING NEWS 2002 ACC All-Freshman Team

Offense

WR Ronnie Elliott, 5-9, 170, Duke
WR Derrele Mitchell, 6-4, 190, North Carolina
TE Heath Miller, 6-5, 256, Virginia*
L (T) D,Brickashaw Ferguson, 6-5, 265, Virginia
L (G) Brian Barthelmes, 6-7, 286, Virginia*
L (G) Kyle Ralph, 6-4, 280, North Carolina
L (T) Stephon Heyer, 6-6, 290, Maryland
L (G) Steven Bell, 6-3, 268, North Carolina*
QB Charlie Whitehurst, 6-4, 195, Clemson*
RB T.A. McLendon, 6-2, 220, NC State
RB Wali Lundy, 6-1, 212, Virginia

Defense

L (E) Brennan Schmidt, 6-3, 274, Virginia*
L (E) Kwakou Robinson, 6-4, 322, Virginia
L (E) Eric Henderson, 6-2, 260, Georgia Tech*
LB Doug Justice, 6-2, 238, North Carolina*
LB Darryl Blackstock, 6-4, 226, Virginia
LB Shawne Merriman, 6-3, 240, Maryland
LB D,Qwell Jackson, 6-1, 220, Maryland
DB (CB) Justin Miller, 5-11, 180, Clemson
DB (CB) Brian Greene, 6-1, 185, Duke*
DB (CB) Reuben Houston, 6-0, 195, Georgia Tech*
DB (CB) Gerrick McPhearson, 5-11, 190, Maryland*

Specialists

K Kurt Smith, 6-1, 181, Virginia*
P Tom Hagan, 6-2, 176, Virginia
KR Leon Washington, 5-9, 180, Florida State

* denotes redshirt

ACC Offensive Freshman of the Year: T.A. McLendon, RB, NC State
ACC Defensive Freshman of the Year: Darryl Blackstock, LB, Virginia