Dec. 2, 1999
Wildcats Honored by Football News: Tight end James Whalen, Jr.,has been named second-team All-America by Football News magazine.Football News also chose Whalen and punter Andy Smith for theirAll-Southeastern Conference team.
Whalen, a senior from Portland, Ore., caught 90 passes for 1,019yards and 10 touchdowns during the 1999 season, leading the nation’stight ends in all three categories. He set NCAA records for mostreceptions in a season by a tight end and most receptions per game (8.2)by a tight end. His 90 catches also broke UK’s single-season record forreceptions, eclipsing Craig Yeast’s mark of 85 set a year ago.
With 1,019 receiving yards, Whalen became the second Wildcat tosurpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a season. His 10 TD catchesalso are the second-best single-season mark in UK history. Four ofthose touchdown catches came at Georgia, tying the single-game schoolrecord for TD receptions.
Whalen had four games with double-digit receptions during the1999 season. With 10 catches against Indiana and 12 against Florida, hebecame the first player in school history to have double-digitreceptions in consecutive games. He duplicated that feat later in theseason with 10 catches at Georgia, followed by 11 at Mississippi State.
In addition to the Football News honors, Whalen has been namedfirst-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of Americaand the Walter Camp Football Foundation.
Smith, a senior from Franklin, Ky., had an outstanding season inhis only year as the Wildcats’ punter. He punted 47 times for 2,009yards, an average of 42.7 yards per punt. He ranked third in the SEC inpunting average. His excellent hang time and sideline accuracy limitedopponents to only 53 punt return yards all season. As a result, UKleads the SEC and rates fifth in the nation in net punting at 39.9 netyards per punt. The net punting figure of 39.9 yards also set asingle-season school record.
Sixbery Chosen for Freshman All-SEC Team: UK offensive guard KipSixbery has been named to the Freshman All-SEC team chosen by theKnoxville News-Sentinel.
Sixbery started all 11 games for the Wildcats and played everyoffensive down of the season. His blocking helped the Wildcats average28.6 points and 374.5 yards of total offense per game, fourth best inthe SEC in both categories. The Wildcats lead the SEC and rank 13th inthe nation in passing yardage with 299 passing yards per game. Kentuckyalso set a school record by scoring 30 or more points in fourconsecutive SEC games.
At 17 years old, Sixbery was the youngest Division I-A player inthe nation who was a regular starter. He did not turn 18 years olduntil after the completion of the regular season.
Football Players to Participate in “Breakfast With Santa”:Fourteen Kentucky football players are expected to be among the 57 UKstudent-athletes who will help work the annual UK Hospital “BreakfastWith Santa.” The event, which is held for the hospital pediatricpatients and children of UK employees, will be held Sat. Dec. 4 at 9a.m. in the UK Hospital Cafeteria.
Football players who have committed to participate includeDougie Allen, Kevin Coleman, Edgar Gantt, Willie Gary, Derek Homer,David Johnson, Anthony Kelly, Eric Kelly, George Massey, Alvin Noble,Jimmy Robinson, Anwar Stewart, Derrick Tatum, and Jermaine White.
SEC Academic Honor Roll Announced: The Southeastern ConferenceAcademic Honor Roll for football has been announced and 14 Wildcats havestudied their way onto the list. To qualify for the honor roll, astudent-athlete must have a 3.0 grade point average for either the pastacademic year or his career and be a sophomore or higher in academicclassification. Here are the 14 UK honorees, along with their position,year (in athletic eligibility), GPA, and major.
Player Pos. Yr. GPA Major Mike Beirne WR So. 3.55 Undeclared Dusty Bonner QB So. 3.135 Finance Neal Brown WR So. 3.30 Communications Corry Doyle QB Jr. 3.90 Finance Chris Gayton LB So. 3.144 Art Studio Seth Hanson K Jr. 3.02 Marketing Vincent Harrison WR So. 3.20 Management Anthony Kelly SS So. 3.25 Computer Science Morris Lane LB RS Fr. 3.031 Undeclared Josh Parrish OG Jr. 3.11 Economics Mark Perry QB Jr. 3.10 Kinesiology Marc Samuel K So. 3.94 Finance and Management A. J. Simon FB Sr. 3.81 Art Studio Patrick Wiggins SS So. 3.457 Management
Repeaters from the 1998 SEC Academic Honor Roll include Bonner,Doyle, Hanson, Samuel, and Simon.
Meilinger to Represent UK at SEC Legends Dinner: SteveMeilinger, an end, halfback, defensive back, and placekicker for theWildcats from 1951-53, will represent Kentucky at the annual SEC LivingLegends Dinner Friday in Atlanta, Ga.
Meilinger was chosen first-team All-America in 1952 and 1953,one of only four Wildcats who have been a first-team All-American fortwo seasons. He was first-team All-SEC in 1951, 1952, and 1953 and isone of only four Wildcats who have been first-team all-league for threeyears. The Birmingham Quarterback Club named him to the Quarter-CenturyAll-SEC Team (1950-74).
As a Wildcat, Meilinger caught 75 passes for 1,210 yards and 17touchdowns. He also rushed for 714 yards during his career andintercepted six passes. He was a first-round draft pick by theWashington Redskins and played six years in the National FootballLeague. A native of Bethlehem, Pa., Meilinger has stayed close to hiscollege roots and lives in Lexington.
All 12 SEC schools will have a representative at the LivingLegends Dinner. Previous representatives for Kentucky include GeorgeBlanda, Vito “Babe” Parilli, Derrick Ramsey, Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones,Jerry Claiborne, and Bob Gain.
