Kentucky tight end selected to first-team.

LEXINGTON, Kty. — Whalen Named All-America: Kentucky tight end James Whalen has been named first-team All-America as chosen by the Football Writers Association of America.

Whalen caught 90 passes for 1,019 yards and 10 touchdowns during the 1999 season, leading the nation’s tight ends in all three categories. He set NCAA records for most receptions 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 for receptions, eclipsing Craig Yeast’s mark of 85 set a year ago.

With 1,019 receiving yards, Whalen became the second Wildcat to surpass the 1,000-yard receiving mark in a season. His 10 TD catches also are the second-best single-season mark in UK history.

Whalen had four games with double-digit receptions during the 1999 season. With 10 catches against Indiana and 12 against Florida, he became the first player in school history to have double-digit receptions in consecutive games. He duplicated that feat later in the season with 10 catches at Georgia, followed by 11 at Mississippi State.

Whalen had five 100-yard receiving games, topped by 151 yards at Georgia. He also caught four touchdown passes against the Bulldogs, tying a school record.

Whalen’s top individual play came in the season opener vs. Louisville. His 57-yard touchdown catch-and-run, capped by a dive into the end zone, was named the Compaq “Best Hustle Play of the Week in College Football.”