BUFFALO, NY - University at Buffalo senior free safety Mark Graham (Monroe, MI/Monroe) capped a stellar career by being tabbed to the second team defense on the All-Mid-American Conference football team announced today.

Mark Graham

Graham made the team despite missing the final two games of his career due to an injury suffered at Toledo in week 10. Despite missing those games, Graham still led the Bulls in tackles (84), solo stops (57), quarterback sacks (3) and fumble recoveries (3). In addition, the tri-captain added 6¹/₂ tackles for loss, second on the team, three pass breakups, one interception and three quarterback hurries. His 57 solo tackles this season were eighth most in a season by a Bulls defender.

Graham was chosen to a second-team defensive backfield that included Northern Illinois' Akil Grant, Central Michigan's James King and Akron's Ricky McKenzie. Graham took over a starting role midway through his freshman season and had a team-best 38 straight starts at the time of his injury. The Michigan native is the school's career leader in passes defended (interceptions + pass breakups) with 37 and is fourth all-time in turnovers captured with 15 (12 interceptions and three fumble recoveries). He also finished his career third all-time in solo tackles (182), ninth in total tackles (266) and tied for fourth in interceptions (12).

"This is a very deserving honor for Mark for what he has meant to this program during his career," said Buffalo head coach Jim Hofher. "His leadership both on and off the field and his playmaking skills will certainly be missed. It's a measure of the respect that Mark earned within the MAC that he gained these accolades despite missing the final two conference games of the season."

Graham joins six other Bulls in receiving MAC honors in Buffalo's five-year history in the league:

1999 - Drew Haddad, WR (second team)

2000 - Brandon Shaughnessy, TE (second team), Duane Williams, LB, (honorable mention)

2001 - Craig Rohlfs, FS (second team), Chad Bartoszek, TE, (honorable mention)

2002 - Chad Bartoszek, TE (second team), Aaron Leeper, RB (MAC Freshman of the Year)

The 2003 All-Mid American Conference football team, as voted on by the league's 14 head coaches, had 14 honorees from last year's team that were recognized again with those accolades. Again honored as first-team selections as they were in 2002 were offensive lineman Nick Kaczur of Toledo, wide receiver Darius Watts of Marshall, running back Michael Turner, defensive back Randee Drew of Northern Illinois, defensive lineman Jason Babin of Western Michigan and defensive back Atari Bigby of the University of Central Florida.

First-team 2003 honorees who were second-team all-MAC last year are quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of Miami, outside linebacker Brian Atkinson of Northern Illinois, defensive lineman Jamus Martin of Marshall, defensive back Janssen Patton of Bowling Green and defensive back Justin Beriault of Ball State.