Jan. 7, 2010

TEMPE, Ariz.--The Football Writers Association of America and Aon Insurance
announced its ninth annual Freshman All-America Team on Thursday during the
association's annual awards breakfast.  Arizona State University freshman
linebacker Vontaze Burfict was named to the squad.

Burfict, a true freshman from Corona, Calif., started the last nine games of
the season for the Sun Devils and had an immediate impact. He ranked second
on the team in tackles with 69 stops (40 solos), including seven tackles for
loss and two quarterback sacks, to go along with five passes broken up and
two fumbles forced and recovered.

Burfict was named the Pac-10 Defensive Freshman of the Year following the
2009 season.  Last month Burfict was named a Freshman All-American by
CollegeFootballNews.com.

The team and coach are selected by a 11-person panel of nationally-prominent
writers led by Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Sentinel. Both true
freshmen and redshirt freshmen were considered for the team.

The Football Writers Association of America, a non-profit organization
founded in 1941, consists of more than 1,100 men and women across North
America who cover college football for a living. The membership includes
journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all
the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include
gameday operations, major awards, a national poll and its annual All-America
team.