ORLANDO, Fla. – Terry Carleton, a former Bentley University soccer standout and the past chairman of the university's Board of Trustees, was inducted into the Capital One Academic All-America Hall of Fame during the annual convention of the College Sports Information Directors of America at the World Marriott Center here Monday night.

Carleton was joined in the Class of 2014 by soon-to-be NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks (Florida State University), broadcaster and former NFL great Tiki Barber (Univ. of Virginia), longtime Disney executive and member of the first-ever Academic All-America team Dick Nunis (Univ. of Southern California) and Dr. Sigell Bell (California), a former gymnastics standout and now an assistant professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School who focuses on understanding the HIV epidemic on a global scale.

Since the Academic All-America program was created in 1952, approximately 25,000 student-athletes have earned the prestigious honor. With the induction of this year's class at an event that was emceed by ESPN broadcaster Rece Davis, only 132 will have been honored with membership in the Academic All-America Hall of Fame.

As longtime Academic All-America spokesman Dick Enberg says, they are the "crème-de-la-crème".  Enberg was in attendance during the induction ceremonies to present the prestigious Enberg Award to Ann Meyers Drysdale. It is presented annually to a person whose actions and commitment have furthered the meaning and reach of the Academic All-America Teams Program and/or the student-athlete while promoting the values of education and academics. 

"We are so pleased that Terry is being recognized for his accomplishments and dedication to Bentley, both as a student and in his role as acting President and chairman of the board," said Bentley President Gloria Cordes Larson when the announcement was made earlier in the spring. "Terry's continued commitment to Bentley is evidenced by his hard work as board member and his presence at multiple sporting events in support for our student athletes."

"There is no one more deserving of this award," said longtime Bentley athletics director Bob DeFelice. "His success through his career, which is exceptional beyond belief, is a direct reflection of what type of person Terry Carleton is all about. Everything he touches turns to gold!"

Pioneer, visionary and leader are three words that aptly describe Carleton's character, and the impact that he has made on Bentley University over the last four decades is one that has helped transform it into a world class institution.

Carleton, who was named to the NCAA Division II 40th Anniversary Team a year ago, graduated from what was then known as Bentley College in 1977. He played four years of varsity soccer for the Falcons in the early days of the program and was instrumental in Bentley earning its only NCAA tournament bid in the sport in 1975.

Carleton amassed 32 goals and 20 assists during his four years, with his total of 84 points ranking fourth on the program's all-time list, and the school records for points (9) and goals (4) in a game that he set in 1974 still stand four decades later.  His list of accolades on the soccer field included All-New England during the Falcons' NCAA season.

Carleton was the captain and MVP as a senior and he capped off his final season as the recipient of the prestigious Edward J. Powers Scholar-Athlete Award, which is presented annually in honor of the late Bentley alumnus and trustee, a former President of the Boston Garden, to university's premier senior student-athlete.

A 1996 inductee into the Bentley Athletic Hall of Fame, Carleton's success during his undergraduate years has carried throughout his professional life. Among his professional endeavors was climbing to number two at Hill, Holiday, one of the world's premier advertising agencies.

Currently a financial advisor with UBS Private Wealth Management in Boston, Carleton served as chair of Bentley's Board of Trustees and later filled the role of the college's president (although without the title or the salary) from 2005-07.  He led the transition of Bentley's reclassification from a college to a university while also overseeing a period of major expansion in academic, residential and athletic/recreational facilities during his time as trustees' chair from 2005-12, and he also chaired the search committee for the next Northeast-10 commissioner at the request of the league's presidents' committee.

"I am thrilled for Terry and this wonderful honor," said J. Andrew Shepardson, Vice President of Student Affairs. "Terry's legacy at Bentley comes not only from his time as a student athlete but as a longtime member of our board of trustees.  He's been instrumental in the development of our campus facilities, both athletic and academic.  All of our students, both varsity athletes and non-athletes, benefit from Terry's commitment to Bentley."

Carleton, a Walpole native who now resides in Needham, has been involved in countless charitable endeavors, including serving on the board of Caritas Hospital in Norwood, Mass. for 11 years. He is currently chair of the Newton Country Day School board, where he has assisted in increasing alumni support during the school's most two recent capital campaigns.

                This marks the fourth year that Capital One is the title sponsor of both the Academic All-America® program and the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame.