WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – Tony Mekari (Legal Studies, 3.22 GPA) earned first-team honors to lead a group of eight Cal student-athletes selected to the 2016 Pac-12 Conference Football All-Academic Teams announced Thursday. Matt Anderson (Business Administration, 3.67 GPA), Patrick Laird (Business Administration, 3.50 GPA) and Billy McCrary (Undeclared, 3.34 GPA) were second-team selections. J.D. Hinnant (Legal Studies, 3.12 GPA), Bradley Northnagel (Social Welfare, 3.01 GPA), Evan Rambo (Undeclared, 3.01 GPA) and Luke Rubenzer (Business Administration, 3.28 GPA) picked up honorable mention recognition.

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Cal finished the 2016 regular season with a 5-7 overall record and a 3-6 Pac-12 mark to tie for fourth in the conference's North Division. The Golden Bears will learn whether they will receive a bowl invitation when this season's bowl schedule is announced Sunday, Dec. 4.

Below are mini bios for each of Cal's 2016 Pac-12 Conference Football All-Academic Team selections.

FIRST TEAM
Tony Mekari, DT, 6-1, 285, Jr., 2L, Westlake Village, CA (Westlake HS)
Legal Studies Major, 3.22 GPA
Mekari was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the first time in his career as a 2016 junior when he played in all 12 regular-season games with 10 starts and posted the best numbers of his collegiate career with 33 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss (-16 yards) and 1.0 sack (-7 yards). Mekari had a career-high nine tackles against Stanford as well as all of his tackles for loss over the final eight games with his seven-yard sack coming in the regular-season finale. Mekari has played in 36 of 37 possible games over the last three seasons with 21 starts.

SECOND TEAM
Matt Anderson, PK, 6-0, 190, Jr., 1L, Danville, CA (San Ramon HS)
Business Administration Major, 3.67 GPA
Anderson was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the second time in his career with his second-team selection as a 2016 junior following a first-team pick during his 2015 sophomore campaign. The Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award semifinalist also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District® honors earlier this month and is on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. Anderson tied a single-game school record with five field goals made in the regular-season finale against UCLA and has connected on a school-record-tying 22 field goals in 26 attempts (.846) this season. He has also set a Cal modern-era single-season record with his 117 points on the campaign including a career-high 18 points in the regular-season finale against the Bruins. Anderson ranks tied for first nationally in PAT percentage (51-51, 1.000), tied for fifth in field goals made, tied for sixth in field goals per game (1.83) and tied for 10th in total points scored.

Patrick Laird, RB, 6-0, 205, So., 1L, San Luis Obispo, CA (Mission Prep HS)
Business Administration Major, 3.50 GPA
Laird was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the first time in his career as a 2016 sophomore when he played in all 12 regular-season games for the first time in his career as a regular on the team's kickoff return squad and as a backup running back. Laird made news on the first play of the college football season when he recovered an onside kickoff by Hawai'i at the College Football Sydney Cup. He also scored the first touchdown of his career against Washington and finished with 59 yards on eight carries for a team-high 7.4 yards per rush while adding three receptions for a loss of two yards as well as one tackle.

Billy McCrary, RB, 5-10, 190, So., SQ (Austin, TX/Rouse HS)
Undeclared Major, 3.34 GPA
McCrary was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the first time in his career as a 2016 sophomore when he played in nine regular-season games off the bench primarily on special teams and as a backup running back. McCrary has six rushes for 39 yards and a pair of receptions for three yards, as well as one tackle.

HONORABLE MENTION
J.D. Hinnant, TE/FB, 6-4, 295, Jr., 1L, Fountain Valley, CA (Fountain Valley HS)
Undeclared Major, 3.12 GPA
Hinnant was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the first time in his career as a 2016 junior when he played in nine regular-season games off the bench primarily on special teams and as a backup tight end/fullback. Hinnant highlighted his season when he caught a key two-point conversion pass from Davis Webb in the fourth quarter of a 52-49 double overtime victory over Oregon.

Bradley Northnagel, LS, 6-3, 245, Sr., 1L, San Carlos, CA (Junipero Serra HS)
Social Welfare Major, 3.01 GPA
Northnagel was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the first time in his career as a 2016 junior when he played in all 12 games as the team's starting long snapper and was successful on every one of his snaps for the second consecutive season. Northnagel also registered a career-high three tackles.

Evan Rambo, S, 6-3, 205, So., 1L, Los Angeles, CA (La Salle HS)
Undeclared Major, 3.01 GPA
Rambo was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the first time in his career as a 2016 sophomore when he played in the first four games of the campaign with three starts before suffering a season-ending injury at Arizona State. Rambo had a career-high 10 tackles as well as his first career interception and pass breakup.

Luke Rubenzer, S, 6-0, 195, Jr., 2L, Scottsdale, AZ (Saguaro HS)
Business Administration Major, 3.28 GPA
Rubenzer was selected to the Pac-12 All-Academic Team for the second time in his career with his honorable mention selection as a 2016 junior following a second-team pick during his 2015 sophomore campaign. Rubenzer is fourth on the team with 58 tackles in nine games played and six starts despite suffering a season-ending injury in the ninth game of the campaign against Washington. He has also been involved in a team-high four turnovers picking off two passes and returning them a combined 72 yards while adding two fumble recoveries, also both team highs. In addition, Rubenzer has added 2.5 tackles for loss (-5 yards) and one pass breakup.