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November 27, 1998

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA–Three University of Virginia football players–Patrick Kerney, Anthony Poindexter and Wali Rainer–have been named to the Football News All-American teams as selected by the publication’s editorial staff.

Kerney, a senior from Newtown, Pa., was one of three defensive linemen named to the Football News All-American first team. A former walk-on at Virginia, Kerney has molded himself into one of the top pass rushers in the nation. He leads the Atlantic Coast Conference with 14 quarterback sacks, one shy of the school record held by Chris Slade. He has made 59 tackles this season, including 20 for lost yardage. Kerney was named a first-team All-America by the Football Writers Association of America earlier this week.

Poindexter, a senior from Forest, Va., was named to the Football News All-American second team. He was having an outstanding season until he suffered a season-ending knee injury against N.C. State on October 24. He finished the season with 73 tackles (10.4/g), three interceptions, two fumbles recovered and two fumbles caused. His 342 career tackles rank sixth in ACC history by a defensive back. He joins Kerney as a first-team All-America selection by the Football Writers Association of America.

Linebacker Wali Rainer, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., was named to the publication’s All-American third team. Rainer leads the team in tackles this season with 118 (11.8/g) and has broken up a team-high eight passes. He has led the team in tackles in three of the last four games, averaging 14.8 tackles per game in that span. He had a season-high 20 tackles against Florida State. Rainer is the first UVa linebacker named to an All-American team since Jamie Sharper was also a third-team choice by Football News in 1996.

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