From Carnegie Mellon University Athletics

Carnegie Mellon University junior defensive lineman Brian Khoury (Davenport, Iowa/Bettendorf) and sophomore running back Sam Benger (Hingham, Mass.) have been named to the 2015 Academic All-America Division III Football team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Tuesday, December 1. Both were named to the second team and are two of the 11 non-seniors selected of the 48 student-athletes to the first or second team with Benger the lone sophomore.

Khoury, who was recently named University Athletic Association (UAA) Defensive Player of the Year and to the first-team of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), led the PAC and UAA and ranked third nationally with 13.5 sacks for a loss of 95 yards.  The junior set the school's single-game sack record with 4.0 against Bethany and then became the single-season Tartan leader following his 3.0 sacks at Thiel, passing the mark of 11.0 sacks held by Chris Balouris in 1989 and Anima Nwankwo in 1998.  Khoury totaled 19.0 tackles for a loss of 109 yards which is also best in the PAC and UAA.   He ended the season with 54 total tackles, 33 solo, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Khoury has a 3.49 GPA and is an electrical and computer engineering major.  Prior to coming to Carnegie Mellon, he played four years of junior hockey in the developmental leagues. Khoury is a member of the Carnegie Mellon Solar Racing team, where he is the President and Power Team Co-Chair.  The junior is also a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes and received the Ford Blue Oval Vehicle Team Scholarship.  

Benger, the PAC and UAA Offensive Player of the Year, rushed for an NCAA Division III-best 2,092 yards this season to go along with 22 rushing touchdowns. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Legacy Bowl after becoming the 21st player in Division III history to reach the 2,000-yard plateau. Benger's 22 rushing touchdowns broke the school's single-season mark held by Brad Stanley in 2003 with 21. The sophomore set the school's single-game rushing mark with 303 yards against then nationally ranked Washington & Jefferson College earlier this season.  Benger also became the Tartans' all-time single-season rushing leader after surpassing the mark of 1,326 yards held by Travis Sivek during the 2006 season.

Benger is also a PAC honor roll member and has a 3.70 GPA as a business administration major.  He is a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and is part of the Carnegie Mellon Athletics Department's Plaidvocates Program, a peer health and wellness advocacy program for athletes that supports the health and well-being of Carnegie Mellon's varsity athletics community.

Benger's and Khoury's appearance on the squad marks the 10th year out of the last 11 Carnegie Mellon football has had at least one member named Academic All-America and eighth time two or more were honored in the same year. During the 11-year stretch, 22 Tartans have been honored while Carnegie Mellon football ranks first in Division III institutions with 47 total CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.