FLORENCE, Ala. (December 13, 2024) – The United Athletic Conference announced its All-Academic team on Friday, as North Alabama's two longest-tenured members of the program were honored in redshirt senior Sam Contorno and graduate student Takairee Kenebrew.
 
The UAC All-Academic team includes 11 players and is voted on by the league's sports information directors. To be eligible for nomination, players must have played in at least 90 percent or started 66 percent of games, must be at least a sophomore athletically and academically and must maintain at least a 3.50 GPA.
 
Contorno is the first and only player in UAC history to repeat as an academic all-conference selection.
 
The sixth-year senior from Tuscaloosa, Ala. has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA for his college career and will graduate with a second degree in Interior Architecture and Design. He also graduated in Summer 2022 with a degree in General Management.
 
Other academic accomplishments for Contorno include 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, a nomination for the 2024 FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team and serving on the UNA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
 
On the field, Contorno served as UNA's primary kickoff specialist while also punting and kicking when called upon. He finished with 49 kickoffs for 2,976 yards to averaged 60.7 yards per kick, including 20 touchbacks. Contorno added five punts for 44.6 yards per punt, including four inside the 20 and one over 50 yards.
 
Kenebrew caps a storied career at UNA with his selection to the UAC All-Academic team. Kenebrew graduates from the program as the only player to experience all seven seasons of Division I football at UNA.
 
This October, Kenebrew was named to the 2024 UNA Promising Alumni list. While shining on the field with multiple school records, Kenebrew will complete his MBA in Accounting.
 
In his final season, Kenebrew caught 46 passes for 772 yards and four touchdowns to lead the team. He ends his career with 30 touchdown catches, which stands as the all-time school record. He also set the single-season touchdown record in 2023 with 10 touchdown catches. Kenebrew is also tied with Dre Hall for the most 100-yard receiving games in school history with 10, including three this season. His 187 receiving yards against Southern Utah set a new FCS school record and is tied for second in all-time school history.
 
For his career, Kenebrew ranks fourth in school history with 144 receptions and third in school history with 2,610 receiving yards — trailing Hall and UNA Athletic Hall of Famer Michael Edwards.
 
To view the rest of the UAC All-Academic team, click here.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.