SEATTLE (Feb. 21) -- Brannon Stone and Nick Johnson, both prominent seniors for the 12th-ranked Seattle Pacific University men's basketball team, have been voted Verizon Academic All-District VIII for the first time.

Stone (Sr., 6-9, Oak Harbor, Wa.) and Johnson (Sr., 6-3, Burlington, Wa./Burlington-Edison) have been members of the academic all-conference team as sophomores and juniors. Both made the district second team. The academic all-conference team for 2002 will be announced next week.

Stone is a business administration major with a 3.51 grade point average while Johnson, also a business administration major, has a 3.42 GPA.

Johnson currently ranks eighth in NCAA Division II free throw accuracy (.894) and is no. 2 on the team in scoring (13.0) Stone tops the Falcons (20-3) in rebounding (6.1), assists (4.3), blocked shots (1.35) and is No. 3 in scoring (10.8).