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BUFFALO, NY - A trio of University at Buffalo football players recently earned academic honors from the Mid-American Conference and the National Football Foundation Western New York chapter.

Erik Zeppuhar

Senior offensive guard Erik Zeppuhar (Allison Park, PA/Shaler), junior defensive end Aaron Sanders (Clarence, NY/St. Joseph's) and junior defensive tackle Bill Meholif (Parma, OH/St. Ignatius) were each honored on the 2004 Academic All-MAC team, made up of 32 players from the 14-team league.

In addition, Zeppuhar was one of three Western New York college football players honored by the National Football Foundation's WNY chapter and will represent the chapter on the national ballot. Zeppuhar was a four-year starter who racked up 44 career starts at offensive guard while helping the Bulls' set several offensive statistical marks in his career.

In 2002, he helped tailback Aaron Leeper (Jamestown, NY/Jamestown) earn MAC Freshman of the Year honors, in 2003 he helped Buffalo rush for over 2,000 yards for the first time since moving up to Division I-A play in 1999 and this past season helped the Bulls score the most points in a season in their I-A history. Zeppuhar has a 3.42 GPA and has already earned his undergraduate business degree. He is currently working towards his MBA.

Aaron Sanders

Sanders, meanwhile, earned a berth on the All-MAC academic team by posting a 3.55 GPA in the classroom and producing an outstanding season on the field. Sanders led UB defensive linemen with 47 tackles (27 solos) and leads the team with career-best figures of 12 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. In addition, the former All-Western New York player is tied for the team lead with three fumble recoveries, while also forcing a fumble. Sanders has also been on the University's Dean's List as well as a UB Scholar-Athlete.

In Mid-American Conference rankings, Sanders is tied for third in fumbles recovered per game (.27), tied for sixth in sacks per game (.59) and 10th in tackles for loss per game (1.09). The junior Marketing major was also named the MAC Player of the Week after the season opener at Eastern Michigan, when he posted a career-best seven tackles, 2.5 sacks, recovered a fumble and forced a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.

Bill Meholif

Meholif has made a tremendous comeback from a pair of knee surgeries that cost him the entire 2003 season, as well as this past year's spring football drills. He had not played in two years when he reclaimed his starting defensive tackle spot this fall and twice racked up a career-best seven tackles this season (Eastern Michigan and Marshall). Meholif ranked second among Bulls' defensive linemen with 33 tackles, including 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. In the classroom, Meholif sports a 3.70 GPA while majoring in Finance. He has been a UB Dean's List member as well as a UB Scholar-Athlete.