(University News Services) — University of Minnesota tight end Brandon Lingen was named CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team today. Lingen is the second Gopher tight end in as many years to be honored, as Maxx Williams – who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens – was named to the first team last season. Prior to Lingen and Williams, the last Gophers to earn Academic All-America honors were Greg Eslinger and Mark Losli, who were both named second team in 2005. In the classroom, Lingen has a 3.85 GPA and plans to major in engineering. Lingen played in 11 games this year and started 10. He caught 28 passes for 395 yards and three touchdowns and had two 100-yard receiving games. He was named Minnesota’s Tight End of the Year and received All-Big Ten Honorable Mention. Lingen caught the first and (3 yards) second (17 yards) touchdowns of his career at Purdue this year. He then caught five passes for 111 yards against Michigan and followed up that performance with six catches for 105 yards and a touchdown at Iowa. His 111-yard game against Michigan represented the fourth-most yards by a Gopher tight end since 1950 and were the most by a tight end since Ben Utecht had 104 against Wisconsin in 2001. Lingen became the first Gopher tight end to have two 100-yard games (111 vs Michigan and 106 at Iowa) in the same season since at least 1950. Fifteen Minnesota football student-athletes have earned a combined 18 Academic All-America honors since 1956. The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) started the Academic All-America program in 1952.