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Sam Acho

School
University of Texas
Position
Defensive End
Major
Business Honors and Marketing

Classroom

Sam Acho has achieved several distinctions for his classroom work in business honors and marketing, including being selected as a first-team CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American in 2009. Acho is a two-time CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection, a two-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 pick and a five-time member of UT’s Athletics Director’s Honor Roll. In 2009 and 2010, Acho also received the Arthur Ashe Award, which is a national award for minority student-athletes. He tested out of 26 hours in foreign language, calculus and rhetoric prior to starting his college career.

Character

A member of UT’s Student Advisory Council, Acho has also served as one of UT’s representatives at the Big 12 Conference on Black Student Government as well as UT’s representative at the 2009 NCAA Leadership Conference. Acho received the Texas Exes Leadership Award in 2009.

Community

Each summer Acho joins his brother, Emmanuel, and father on a medical mission trip to Nigeria. Acho also volunteers time to special events for local homeless shelters, takes part in a group of Longhorns who regularly visit patients at the Dell Children’s Medical Center and he has participated in UT’s Orange Santa program.

Competition

After earning an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2009, Acho begins his senior season on the Lombardi Award, Lott Trophy, Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy watch lists. Acho, a defensive end, helped UT rank first nationally in rushing defense (72.4 yards per game), third in total defense (251.9 ypg) and 12th in scoring defense (16.7 ppg) on its way to an appearance in last season’s national championship. Statistically, Acho led the 2009 Longhorns with 10 sacks and four forced fumbles, which also were tied for the most in the country. He finished his junior season as a Lott Trophy semifinalist after tallying 63 tackles (44 solo), 14 tackles for loss, three passes defended and two forced fumbles.