Bickford, Sullivan Named to 2012 Academic All-District First Team

ORONO, Maine -- University of Maine swimmer Robbie Bickford (Milford, Maine) and men's ice hockey standout Dan Sullivan (York, Pa.) have been named to the Capital One 2012 Academic All-District Men's At-Large First Team. Both will now be placed on the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration. Both student-athletes are sophomores. 

Maine and the U.S Militay Academy were the lone schools to have two student-athletes named to the First Team. Bickford was the lone swimmer on the squad, while Sullivan was one of five men's ice hockey standouts, but the lone one from Hockey East. 

Bickford, a biochemistry major with a perfect grade point average, has been named a Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winner and also named to the America East Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll. This past season he earned a spot on the America East All-Academic Team. Bickford was named to Team Maine, for having the highest GPA on the swimming team. He was a sophomore Owl, the highest honor for a sophomore at the University of Maine. 

Sullivan backstopped the hockey team to the Hockey East Championship game and the NCAA Tournament this past season. He also has a perfect 4.0 grade point average as a finance / management major. Sullivan has been named a Maine Scholar-Athlete Award winner and also named to the Hockey East Academic Honor Roll. He was named the Hockey East Co-Top Scholar-Athlete last season and earned a spot on the Hockey East Academic All-Star Team. He was also named to Team Maine, for having the highest GPA on the men's ice hockey team. Sullivan also received the team's Dale Lick Academic Achievement Award earlier this month. 

The duo advance to the Capital One Academic All-America Team ballot, where first, second and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.