IRVING, Texas - Louisiana Tech defensive back Xavier Woods was named to the Conference USA Academic Team league officials announced Thursday. The honor comes as Woods and Louisiana Tech begin final preparations to play at Marshall Saturday in the Conference USA Championship Game.

The team is comprised of three sophomores, four juniors, seven seniors and a graduate student. The all-academic team consists of student-athletes who have earned a 3.2 cumulative grade point average or better and are a starter or key reserve for their team. The squad is selected by the league's football media relations directors for football.

Woods is one of 15 football student-athletes across the league to be named to the C-USA Academic Team and one of only three sophomores chosen.

A starter in all 12 games this season, Woods is tied for 14th in the country and second in C-USA (alongside teammate Adairius Barnes) with five interceptions. He leads a defensive unit that is first in the league in total defense, first in the league and second in the nation in interceptions and is the national leader in turnovers forced.

Woods is one of four different Bulldogs that has recorded two interceptions in a single game this season and his 171 interception return yards recorded ranks third in the nation and second in school history.

Joining Louisiana Tech's sophomore on the C-USA Academic Team list is Eric Frohnapfel (Marshall), Trevor Mendelson (Marshall), Jordan Parker (Middle Tennessee), Cyril Lemon (North Texas), Tyler Compton (Old Dominion), Josh Mann (Old Dominion), James Farrimond (Rice), James Hairston (Rice), Brian Nordstrom (Rice), Corey Acosta (Southern Miss), Cameron Tom (Southern Miss), Cody Clements (UAB), Wesley Miller (UTEP) and Nate Leonard (UTEP).

Woods and Louisiana Tech will play at Marshall Saturday in the Conference USA Championship Game at 11 a.m. CT at Joan C. Edwards Stadium in Huntington, West Virginia in a game that will be televised on ESPN2.

For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please follow @LATechFB on Twitter or visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.

2014 C-USA FOOTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
NAME SCHOOL YEAR GPA MAJOR
Xavier Woods Louisiana Tech Sophomore 3.78 General Studies
Eric Frohnapfel Marshall Senior 4.0 MBA
Trevor Mendelson Marshall Senior 3.8 MBA
Jordan Parker Middle Tennessee Junior 3.63 Liberal Studies
Cyril Lemon North Texas Senior 3.42 Kinesiology
Tyler Compton Old Dominion Sophomore 3.97 Mathematics
Josh Mann Old Dominion Senior 3.44 Mech. Engineering
James Farrimond Rice Junior 3.64 Economics
James Hairston Rice Graduate 4.0 MS Statistics
Brian Nordstrom Rice Junior 3.63 Civ. Engineering
Corey Acosta Southern Miss Senior 3.81 Biological Science
Cameron Tom Southern Miss Sophomore 3.80 Business
Cody Clements UAB Junior 3.35 Communications
Wesley Miller UTEP Senior 3.94 Business/Economics
Nate Leonard UTSA Senior 3.99 Physical Education