MAC ANNOUNCES 2011 FOOTBALL ACADEMIC ALL-MAC TEAM
35 Student-Athletes are honored in voting by conference Faculty Athletic Representatives
For Immediate Release—Friday, Jan. 13, 2012
Cleveland, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced its 2011 Football Academic All-MAC team Thursday, as voted by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions. A total of 35 student-athletes were named to the 2011 team.
Eastern Michigan (Alex Gillett, Austin Karcher, Jay Karutz, Andy Mulumba, Marlon Pollard, Willie Williams) topped the 2011 Academic All-MAC squad with six selections, followed by Northern Illinois (Chandler Harnish, Nabal Jefferson, Ryan Neir, Keith Otis, Joe Pawlak) with five selections.
Central Michigan (Brian Bennyhoff, Mike Petrucci, Ryan Radcliff, Cody Wilson) and Toledo (Ryan Casano, Zac Kerin, Dan Molls, Mike VanDerMeulen) each had four honorees. Ball State (Jordan Hansel, Scott Kovanda, Briggs Orsbon), Kent State (Spencer Keith, Matt Rinehart, Jacquise Terry), Western Michigan (Ben Armer, John Potter, Mitch Zajac) each had three selections.
Buffalo (Alex Neutz, Colby Way) and Miami (Anthony Kokal, Mason Krysinski) both placed two on the team. Akron (Nico Caponi), Ohio (Matt Weller) and Temple (Ryan Alderman) rounded out the selections.
Three-time selections include Briggs Orsbon (Ball State), Jacquise Terry (Kent State), Chandler Harnish (Northern Illinois), Ben Armer (Western Michigan) and John Potter (Western Michigan).
Two-time selections include Scott Kovanda (Ball State), Mike Petrucci (Central Michigan), Cody Wilson (Central Michigan), Alex Gillett (Eastern Michigan), Spencer Keith (Kent State), Matt Rinehart (Kent State), Nabal Jefferson (Northern Illinois), Joe Pawlak (Northern Illinois), Dan Molls (Toledo), Mike VanDerMeulen (Toledo) and Mitch Zajac (Western Michigan).
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.
The number of honorees on the Academic All-MAC team is equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of the number of nominees, whichever is greater. The remaining student-athletes have been recognized as Academic Honorable Mention selections.
2011 Academic All-MAC Team:
Nico Caponi, Akron, Sophomore, 3.56 GPA, Civil Engineering (Sandusky, Ohio)
Jordan Hansel, Ball State, Sophomore, 3.26 GPA, Communication Studies (Covington, Ky.)
& Scott Kovanda, Ball State, Junior, 3.90 GPA, Finance (Hartland, Mich.)
&@Briggs Orsbon, Ball State, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Finance and Risk Management (Convoy, Ohio)
Alex Neutz, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.49 GPA, Management (Grand Island, N.Y.)
Colby Way, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.73 GPA, Computer Engineering (State College, Pa.)
Brian Bennyhoff, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.97 GPA, Accounting (Saline, Mich.)
&Mike Petrucci, Central Michigan, Senior, 3.71 GPA, Mathematics (Milford, Mich.)
Ryan Radcliff, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.48 GPA, Accounting (Sherwood, Ohio)
&Cody Wilson, Central Michigan, Junior, 3.75 GPA, Marketing (Rochester Hills, Mich.)
&Alex Gillett, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.43 GPA, Biology (Green Springs, Ohio)
Austin Karcher, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.98 GPA, Physical Education (Saline, Mich.)
Jay Karutz, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.93 GPA, Individualized Studies (North Ryde, New South Wales)
Andy Mulumba, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.60 GPA, Management (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Marlon Pollard, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, 3.76 GPA, Communication (Pomona, Calif.)
Willie Williams, Eastern Michigan, Senior, 3.23 GPA, Communication & Theatre Arts (Los Angeles, Calif.)
& Spencer Keith, Kent State, Junior, 3.82 GPA, Mathematics (Pre-Med), (Little Rock, Ark.)
@Matt Rinehart, Kent State, Senior, 3.43 GPA, Nursing (Dover, Ohio)
&@ Jacquise Terry, Kent State, Senior, 3.55 GPA, Aeronautics (Phenix City, Ala.)
Anthony Kokal, Miami, Senior, 3.23 GPA, Accountancy (Warren, Ohio)
Mason Krysinski, Miami, Junior, 4.00 GPA, Chemistry (Shelby Township, Mich.)
&@# Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Graduate - Business Administration (Bluffton, Ind.)
& Nabal Jefferson, Northern Illinois, Junior, 3.78 GPA, Accountancy (Chicago, Ill.)
Ryan Neir, Northern Illinois, Junior, 3.94 GPA, Finance (Roscoe, Ill.)
Keith Otis, Northern Illinois, Senior, 4.00 GPA, Graduate – Sports Management (Chicago, Ill.)
& Joe Pawlak, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.36 GPA, Sociology/Criminology (Grayslake, Ill.)
Matt Weller, Ohio, Junior, 3.21 GPA, Engineering (Twinsburg, Ohio)
Ryan Alderman, Temple, Sophomore, 3.54 GPA, Business (Downington, Pa.)
Ryan Casano, Toledo, Senior, 3.89 GPA, Law (Dripping Springs, Texas)
Zac Kerin, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.55 GPA, Civil Engineering (Delaware, Ohio)
& Dan Molls, Toledo, Junior, 3.58 GPA, Exercise Science (North Royalton, Ohio)
& Mike VanDerMeulen, Toledo, Senior, 3.39 GPA, Human Resource Management (Marshall, Mich.)
&@ Ben Armer, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.56 GPA, Exercise Science (Janesville, Wisc.)
&@ John Potter, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.98 GPA, Business Finance (Grand Haven, Mich.)
& Mitch Zajac, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.69 GPA, Mechanical Engineering (Holt, Mich.)
&2010 Academic All-MAC selection
@2009 Academic All-MAC selection
#2008 Academic All-MAC selection
Honorable Mention
Zac Kasparek, Akron
Troy Gilmer, Akron
Armand Dehaney, Ball State
Zane Fakes, Ball State
Ryan Hartke, Ball State
Kreg Hunter, Ball State
Tony Martin, Ball State
Andrew Puthoff, Ball State
Connor Ryan, Ball State
Keith Wenning, Ball State
Tyler Beck, Bowling Green
Ben Bojicic, Bowling Green
Dominic Flewellyn, Bowling Green
Ronnie Goble, Bowling Green
Cory Johnson, Bowling Green
Gabe Martin, Bowling Green
DeVon McKoy, Bowling Green
Ben Brown, Central Michigan
Brandon Fricke, Central Michigan
Richie Hogan, Central Michigan
Mike Kinville, Central Michigan
Kenny McClendon, Central Michigan
Tim Phillips, Central Michigan
Mike Repovz, Central Michigan
Lincoln Hansen, Eastern Michigan
Scott MacLeod, Eastern Michigan
Bobby McFadden, Eastern Michigan
Javon Reese, Eastern Michigan
Julius Shelby, Eastern Michigan
Dominique Sherrer, Eastern Michigan
Brad Bednar, Miami
Pat Hinkel, Miami
Jason Semmes, Miami
Joseph Williams, Miami
Alan Baxter, Northern Illinois
Adam Kiel, Northern Illinois
Matt Krempel, Northern Illinois
Pat McAvoy, Northern Illinois
JD Bales, Ohio
Nathan Carpenter, Ohio
Brad Fain, Ohio
Jeff King, Ohio
Josh Kristoff, Ohio
Derek Roback, Ohio
Jordan Thompson, Ohio
A.J. Lindeman, Toledo
Greg Mancz, Toledo
Ben Pike, Toledo
Jared Strait, Toledo
Matt Wall, Toledo
Brian Fields, Western Michigan
Kirk Nakama, Western Michigan