Damaris Johnson was naed to the Sporting News Freshman All-America Team.

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Tulsa Freshman Damaris Johnson Named First-Team Freshman All-America

Hurricane freshman sensation named to the Sporting News team

Dec. 16, 2008

St. Louis, Mo. - University of Tulsa freshman Damaris Johnson was named to the 26-member Freshman All-America team by Sporting News magazine, it was announced today.

Johnson, from Norco, Louisiana, became a key target in the Hurricane offense as a receiver and on special teams as a kick returner. Johnson was named to the Freshman All-America team as a kick return specialist, and was the only Conference USA freshman named to the team.

The true frosh led the Golden Hurricane in all-purpose yardage, while also leading C-USA in that statistical category with 2,201 all-purpose yards. Johnson set a school record with 1,319 yards and also added 608 receiving yards.

Johnson had six games with over 100 yards in kickoff return yardage, including a school single-game record of 211 yards against UTEP. In that game, Johnson returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. A week later, he had a 70-yard return against UCF and a week after that returned a kick 81 yards against Arkansas.

As a freshman, Johnson ranks fourth nationally in all-purpose yardage and is 22nd in the country for kick returns. He totaled 11 touchdowns for the Hurricane with nine coming through the air, one on the ground and the one kick return.

It marks the second consecutive season that a Tulsa rookie has earned Freshman All-America honors, as Charles Clay and Trae Johnson received recognition last year.

Johnson and his Hurricane teammates take on Ball State in the GMAC Bowl on January 6, 2009, in Mobile, Alabama.

SPORTING NEWS' 2008 ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
OFFENSE
QB Robert Griffin, Baylor
RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
RB Victor Anderson, Louisville
WR A.J. Green, Georgia WR Julio Jones, Alabama
TE Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame
T Elvis Fisher, Missouri
G Moe Petrus, Connecticut
C Michael Brewster, Ohio State
G Joel Foreman, Michigan State
T Andrew Datko, Florida State
K Philip Welch, Wisconsin
KR Damaris Johnson, Tulsa
DEFENSE
DE Brandon Harold, Kansas State
DT Billy Winn, Boise State
DT Lawrence Guy, Arizona State
DE Tom Keiser, Stanford
LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma
LB Mychal Sisson, Colorado State
LB Jerry Franklin, Arkansas
CB Janoris Jenkins, Florida
CB Jordan Mabin, Northwestern
S Sean Baker, Ball State
S Earl Thomas, Texas
P Bryan Anger, California
PR T.Y. Hilton, Florida International