NEW YORK – Columbia senior co-captain Patrick Foley is the first Columbia men's basketball player ever to earn a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team, it was announced tonight on ESPN's Big Monday. 

A third team Academic All-America last season, Foley has fought through injury to start all 14 games he has played this season and carries a 3.87 grade point average as a history major in Columbia College.

Foley earns a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team alongside Notre Dame's Tim Abromaitis, Cole Aldrich of Kansas, Butler's Matt Howard and Yves Mekongo of La Salle.

Despite missing 10 games this season, Foley is Columbia's second-leading scorer, averaging just a shade under 10 points per game.  He leads the team in assists per game and free throw percentage and for good measure, the 6-2 Foley has four blocked shots.

A two-time co-captain, Foley has had a distinguished career in a Lion uniform.  Selected as one of 30 national finalists earlier this year for the Lowe's Senior C.L.A.S.S. Award, Foley was Columbia Men's Basketball's first Academic All-American since Shane Cotner in 1978.  It is the second straight year that a Columbian has earned first team Academic All-America honors (Jeff Spear, fencing).

Over his four-year career, Foley has averaged 9.3 points per game, shot 42.8 percent from the field, 82.4 percent from the foul line and dished out 2.7 assists per game with a 1.38:1 assist to turnover ratio.  The Lions are 11-6 over the last two seasons when Foley has scored in double figures.

Columbia is back in action at Levien Gym on Friday, February 26 against Penn at 7 p.m.  It is the final home weekend of the season for the team, which will honor Foley, along with fellow seniors Kevin Bulger and Niko Scott, on Senior Day prior to Saturday's game vs. Princeton. 

Tickets for the final men's basketball home weekend are available online or by calling 888-LIONS-11.