Eighteem UAA football student-athletes were named to the 2017 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® Football Team, which recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom.
Academic All-District recipients must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution.
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second-team All-America honorees will be announced on December 13.
UAA Honorees
Washington University (9):
Junior Jake Coon, sophomore John Fisher, senior Garris Goe, senior Nick Leduc, senior Mark McMillin, junior Hank Michalski, senior Andrew Ralph, senior Marcus Ramspott and junior Jason Singer each took home the honor for WashU.
Goe earned the honor for the third-straight year, while Coon and Ramspott were repeat selections from a year ago.
JAKE COON
Coon started all nine games at linebacker, and was first on the squad in interceptions (3) and second in tackles (65). He was also third in the University Athletic Association (UAA) in interceptions per game (0.33) and fourth in tackles per game (7.2). Coon recorded a season-high 12 stops at Wartburg and vs. No. 4 North Central. A two-time Academic all-UAA selection, he has a 3.72 grade point average while majoring in finance and accounting.
JOHN FISHER
Fisher started six of nine games at running back, and led the Bears with 386 yards on 81 carries (4.8 avg.) with a pair of touchdowns. He was also fourth in the UAA in rushing yards per game (42.9). Fisher ran for a career-best 83 yards on 11 carries at Washington and Lee. He has a 4.0 GPA while majoring in finance and accounting.
GARRIS GOE
Goe started eight of nine games played on the defensive line and had 15 tackles, one sack and one interception. He recorded a tackle in all nine games, and recorded his first career interception vs. Wisconsin-Whitewater. A three-time Academic all-UAA selection, Goe has a 3.99 GPA while majoring in economics and strategy.
NICK LEDUC
Leduc started five of nine games played on the defensive line and recorded 39 tackles and a team-high 12 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He ranked first in the UAA in sacks and in tackles for loss. Leduc tied a career-high with seven tackles vs. Chicago and at Washington and Lee. He also had a career-high 2.5 sacks vs. Chicago. A three-time Academic all-UAA selection, Leduc has a 3.78 GPA while majoring in finance.
MARK MCMILLIN
McMillin started seven of nine games played at tight end, and also served as the long snapper for extra points and field goals. He had seven receptions for 38 yards and a pair of touchdowns. McMillin hauled in a career-high three catches for 11 yards and two TDs against Buena Vista. A three-time Academic all-UAA selection, he has a 3.75 GPA while majoring in mechanical engineering.
HANK MICHALSKI
Michalski started all nine games at center for WashU in 2017. The Bears' offense averaged 27.2 points and 390.4 yards per game, and scored 20 or more points in eight of nine games played. WashU also led the UAA in passing offense (274.8). A two-time Academic all-UAA selection, Michalski has a 3.85 GPA while majoring in Finance, Economics & Strategy.
ANDREW RALPH
Ralph started nine games for the Bears at defensive back, and was fifth on the team with 55 tackles. He also added four tackles for loss and two sacks. Ralph recorded a season-high nine tackles, two sacks and a tackle for loss at Wartburg. A three-time Academic all-UAA selection, he has a 3.53 GPA while majoring in finance, leadership and strategic management.
MARCUS RAMSPOTT
Ramspott started all nine games at wide receiver and led the team with 55 catches for 480 yards and a touchdown. He was first in the UAA in receptions per game (6.1) and fifth in receiving yards per game (55.3). Ramspott had a career-high 10 catches for 110 yards at Wartburg. A three-time Academic all-UAA selection, Ramspott has a 3.55 GPA while majoring in chemistry.
JASON SINGER
Singer started five of nine games at wide receiver and had 32 catches for a team-high 496 yards and seven touchdowns. He was second in the UAA in receiving touchdowns, and was fourth in receiving yards per game (55.1) and fifth in receptions per game (3.6). Singer had three 100-yard receiving games, including a career-high seven receptions for 130 yards and three TDs. A two-time Academic all-UAA selection, he has a 3.58 GPA while majoring in chemistry.
Carnegie Mellon University (7):
Senior running back Sam Benger (Hingham, Mass.) is making his third straight appearance on the all-district team while the six others; offensive linemen senior Ben Mersman (Newark, Del./Salesianum School) and sophomore Joe Levy (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North), junior quarterback Alex Cline (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome), junior H-back Karl-Mark Kumm (Brick, N.J./Brick Township), sophomore defensive back Anthony Kennon (Lancaster, Mass./Nashoba Regional) and sophomore defensive lineman Michael Lohmeier (Clarendon Hills, Ill./Hinsdale Central) are being recognized for the first time.
Benger, who has been nagged by injuries all season, has rushed for 983 yards on 169 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry, which ranks fourth in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC). Benger, the school's all-time rushing leader with 5,316 yards, will look to become the first Tartan to rush for a 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Asa S. Bushnell Bowl on Saturday when the team concludes the season against Muhlenberg College. Mersman and Levy played a key part in blocking for Benger while helping the offense reach the 510-yard mark in the Tartans' win over the University of Rochester while also compiling 496 yards against nationally ranked Case Western Reserve University. Kumm also was a valuable blocker for Benger and recorded 13 receptions this season for 193 yards and four touchdowns. Cline has thrown for 2,158 yards and 24 touchdowns this season, which both are second on the school single-season charts. The signal caller needs 43 yards and two touchdowns to take over the top single-season spot.
On defense, Lohmeier leads the team with 6.0 sacks and 9.0 tackles for a loss. His 6.0 sacks rank sixth in the PAC while his three forced fumbles rank second and are tops on the team. Kennon ended the regular season with 28 tackles, 19 solos, and ranked third on the Tartans with seven passes defended, including his first career interception.
Benger, a 2017 William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist and a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, has a 3.67 GPA as a business administration major. Earlier this season, he was a nominee for the 2017 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. This past summer, Benger interned for Deloitte and during their Impact Day, where all employees go out into the community and do service, he worked on renovating a dilapidated elementary school. The running back has volunteered for the Pittsburgh Children's Hospital Donate Life. He mentors in the Pittsburgh Area for several young men battling illness, especially with one juvenile diabetic like Benger himself. Benger also has volunteered at the Western Spring Sectional competition of the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania and with the 1,000+ Service Day initiative at Carnegie Mellon which brings together students, faculty, staff and alumni to volunteer at multiple sites throughout the greater Pittsburgh area. Benger is a University Athletic Association (UAA) President Scholar Athlete Team honoree as well as three-time PAC and UAA Academic member.
Mersman carries a 3.70 GPA and is a chemical and biomedical engineering major. He has been on the dean's list in the college of engineering multiple semesters, including recording a 4.0 GPA in two semesters. Mersman is a two-time PAC and three-time UAA Academic member and recently interned with LANXESS. The senior has volunteered at the Western Spring Sectional competition of the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania and with the 1,000+ Service Day initiative at Carnegie Mellon. He is a founding father of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity.
Kumm and Levy are both finance majors in the Tepper School of Business. Kumm carries a 3.75 GPA and Levy a 3.70 GPA. Kumm has received PAC Academic honors twice and UAA Academic on three occasions while Levy has been honored once on each. Both have volunteered for the 1,000+ Service Day initiative at Carnegie Mellon.
Cline carries a 3.70 GPA and is a business administration major. He is a member of Carnegie Mellon's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and was an analyst for Scottie Ventures. This past summer, Cline worked for IGS Energy as a solar intern. He studied abroad at the University of Granada in Spain following his freshman year and was awarded the Patricia Askwith-Kenner Summer Scholarship for his study abroad experience. Cline is the treasure of the CMU College Republicans club.
Kennon has a 3.89 GPA and is an engineering major. He has made dean's list each of his semesters at Carnegie Mellon with a 4.0 GPA last spring. Kennon is currently serving as a teacher's assistant in the physics department. He also has volunteered for the 1,000+ Service Day initiative at Carnegie Mellon.
Lohmeier carries a 4.00 GPA and is a business administration major. Off the field, he is a market research analyst for Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He is an undergraduate analyst intern for Scottie Ventures and a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity where he serves as the philanthropy chair. He is also a PAC honor roll and UAA All-Academic honoree.
Case Western Reserve University (2):
Case Western Reserve University senior safety Cody Calhoun and sophomore tight end Adam Zybko were each named to the Academic All-District Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Calhoun was recently named to the All-Presidents' Athletic Conference Second Team, following a regular season during which he started all 10 games for the Spartans and recorded 58 tackles (including 3.5 for a loss), 31 solo tackles, an interception, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. In addition, he has returned kicks for the Spartans throughout the season, averaging 22.7 yards per return. Academically, Calhoun holds a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average as a Biology and Pre-Medicine major. He is a three-time UAA All-Academic honoree and has been named to the PAC Fall Honor Roll three times as well.
Zybko played in all 10 games for the Spartans during the 2017 campaign, including five in a starting role. He finished the year will 11 receptions for 181 yards and a touchdown, and for his two-year career, has caught 17 passes for 272 yards. He holds a 3.79 cumulative grade point average as a finance major, and earned UAA All-Academic honors earlier this year.