Dec. 7, 2007

Johnson C. Smith University senior corner back/kick-returner De'Audra Dix is among the 42 players that have been named to the East All-Star squad for the Valero Cactus Bowl. The game will be played at Texas A&M-Kingsville's Javelina Stadium on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 7 p.m.

The contest will feature the top NCAA Division II football players in the nation. The athletes will be in Kingsville for a week-long schedule of events, building to the Friday night game which will be regionally televised by FOXSports Southwest. The players in the game will report on Saturday, Jan. 5.

Dix (Merritt Island, Fla.) was named to the Daktronics All-Southeast Region second team on both sides of the ball as an all-purpose player (offense) and cornerback (defense) for the second consecutive year. He was named CIAA Special Teams Player of the Year and was an All-CIAA first team selection on both offense and defense. The speedster led the conference in kick-off returns aiding his team to a sixth place ranking in all of NCAA Division II in kick returns. Dix was ranked fifth in the nation in kick-off returns averaging 31.3 yards per return. He ends his career with 64 returns for 1,708 yards and three touchdowns. As a corner back, the senior registered 130 total tackles, six tackles for a loss of 19 yards, 13 interceptions for returned for 252 yards, seven blocked kicks, and 33 pass break-ups spanning four years. He becomes the first player in school history to be named all-region on both sides of the ball for two consecutive years.

"Dix is very deserving of the honor to be selected to the Cactus Bowl," JCSU head coach Daryl C. McNeill, Sr. said. "He was a major part of our success last season. It is very exciting to see Dix and the other CIAA players represented on a national level."

Other CIAA players selected were Anthony Hailstock (Virginia State), Alex Hall (Saint Augustine's), and Eric Lamoreux (Fayetteville State).

Valero is a part-owner of the San Antonio Spurs franchise, stepping in to help organize a bid when the franchise was being pursued by out-of-town buyers who, potentially, could have relocated the team.

Valero has also been the title sponsor of the Valero Texas Open since 2002. In that time, the tournament has gone from the bottom of the PGA TOUR in terms of charitable fundraising to raising more for charity than any other event in PGA TOUR history.

The Cactus Bowl began as the Snow Bowl in 1994 at the Fargo Dome in Fargo, North Dakota. After its initial seven-year run, the game moved to Kingsville in January 2001. The game was played in Kingsville for six years, took a hiatus last year and will return to Javelina Stadium in 2008.