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Seven members of East Carolina's football team were named first-team All-Conference USA, as selected by the league's coaches and announced Tuesday.

The conference champions had the most first-team selections and the most overall (11).

The Pirates' first-team selections include four starters on their defense. Defensive lineman Linval Joseph (57 tackles, 12.5 TFL's) and C.J. Wilson (56 tackles, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles) are joined by defensive backs Emanuel Davis (64 tackles, 13 pass breakups) and Van Eskridge (93 tackles, six interceptions).

Offensive lineman Sean Allen and punter Matt Dodge (league-high 45.8 average) earned first-team honors, while junior Dwayne Harris was named first team as a wide receiver (79 receptions, 914 yards, six TDs) and second team as a kick returner (27.4 avg., C-USA-record three kickoff returns for touchdowns).

Defensive lineman Michael Brooks (23 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss) was ECU's lone representative on the all-freshman team.

For the Pirates' full list of honorees, see Scoreboard on B5.

EAST-WEST SHRINE GAME: Four players from North Carolina universities have been selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game.

Duke defensive tackle Vince Oghobaase, East Carolina free safety Van Eskridge, and two players from N.C. State -- center Ted Larsen and defensive end Willie Young -- have been picked to play in the all-star game Jan. 23 in Orlando, Fla.

soccer

U.S. UNDER-23 INVITEES: Three Wake Forest players and one Duke alumna are among 24 players invited to train with the U.S. Under-23 national team in Carson, Calif., from Dec. 13-20.

Deacons defenders Caitlin Ferrell and Kaley Fountain, along with WFU midfielder Bianca D'Agostino and former Blue Devils goalkeeper Allison Lipsher will attend the camp. Lipsher is now with the Boston Breakers of Women's Professional Soccer.

ACADEMIC AWARD: The Duke men's soccer team recently was awarded the NSCAA Team Academic Award for the 2008-09 academic year.

The Blue Devils were one of 143 university men's soccer programs to be honored.

Under the guidance of head coach John Kerr, Duke posted a 3.08 team grade-point average during the 2008-09 academic year. The Blue Devils were one of two men's teams from the ACC honored, along with N.C. State.

Duke recently completed the 2009 season with a 14-7 overall record, advancing to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

MISCELLANY

SPORTSWRITER DIES: Gene Warren, 80, a sports writer for the Greensboro Daily News from 1955 to 1968, died last week after a lengthy illness. Warren was widely known for his coverage of college baseball.