Madison, WI — Wendell Bryant, the University of Wisconsin’s senior defensive end, earned preseason first-team all-America honors as announced by Football News this week. The 2001 all-America and all-conference teams will be featured in the magazine’s August issue.

The Big Ten co-defensive lineman of the year last season, Bryant is a two-time all-conference selection and was a finalist for the 2000 Lombardi Award, given to the nation’s top lineman. He led the team in quarterback sacks the last two seasons and was second on the team with 11 tackles for loss in 2000.

Bryant is one of three Big Ten athletes listed on the offensive and defensive first-teams, joining Northwestern’s running back, Damien Anderson, and Minnesota’s punter, Preston Gruening.

Bryant was also tabbed a preseason second-team all-America selection by Street & Smith’s College Football 2001.