2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Football Teams release dates:
College Division Team: below
NCAA Division III Team: Tue., Dec. 1
NCAA Division II Team: Wed., Dec. 2
NCAA Division I Team: Thr., Dec. 3
Academic All-America Program Overview & Links
• Academic All-America® Football Teams - College Division
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Paben action photo courtesy of Randy Gottula
AUSTIN, Texas – Senior defensive back Logan Paben from Peru State College highlights the 2015 CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
A middle grades education major carrying a 4.00 cumulative G.P.A., Paben has been voted as the CoSIDA College Division Academic All-America® of the Year among the team.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division football team honors student-athletes from NAIA, Canadian and two-year institutions.
Paben snared his second CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division nod in a row. The Columbus, Nebraska, native had been selected as the NAIA’s 2014 A.O. Duer Scholarship Award winner recognizing academics, character and citizenship by junior student-athletes in any sport. Paben participated in the TeamMates mentor program for two years where he served as a role model and made a positive difference in the lives of children.
In addition, Paben was one of 135 semifinalists for the 2015 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. Paben was also nominated for the 2015 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, which recognizes college football players from across the country who exemplifies a superior commitment to community service and volunteerism.
Paben has been a second team All-Heart of America Athletic Conference selection and twice earned honorable mention recognition. As a senior, Paben has posted 59 tackles, 35 solo tackles, two interceptions, 11 passes broken up and eight punt returns for a 13.6-yard average. In his Peru State career, Paben has amassed 186 tackles, 112 solo tackles and 12 interceptions. As a junior, Paben was named a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Taylor University paced the squad with four recipients as three institutions placed multiple selections on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division team. St. Ambrose University boasted of three, while Dakota State University, Olivet Nazarene University and Morningside College each had two. Four team members spearheaded their teams into the 2015 NAIA Football Championship Series.
The 24-member CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division team combined for an average G.P.A. of 3.78. Three Academic All-Americans sport a 4.0 G.P.A.
Three members of the CoSIDA College Division Academic All-America® team became two-time honorees – Paben,
Garrett Borcher from Doane College and
Hans Lundberg of Taylor.
Borcher, a senior linebacker from Pawnee City, Nebraska, has a 3.93 G.P.A. studying elementary education. Borcher topped Doane with 79 tackles while making 37 solo tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2½ sacks and an interception. Borcher has been a three-time All-Great Plains Athletic Conference selection, two-time first-team all-conference honoree, three-time GPAC Scholar-Athlete, two-time Academic All-District and an NAIA Scholar-Athlete. Borcher became the GPAC’s nominee for the A.O. Duer Award for 2015-16.
Lundberg, a senior tight end from Houston, Minnesota, has produced a 3.90 G.P.A. majoring in exercise science. Lundberg has supplied Taylor with 27 receptions, 301 yards and seven touchdown catches this year. Lundberg snagged his second All-Mid-States Football Association Mideast League honor, making the first team in 2015 after taking second-team acclaim last year. In his Taylor career, Lundberg has 53 catches for 574 yards and 11 scores. He was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete in addition to making the CoSIDA Academic All-America® College Division.
Other members of the offense are quarterback
Patrick Smith of St. Ambrose; running backs
Brandon Deschamps from University of British Columbia and
Tanner Staats of Ottawa University; wide receivers
Ryan Larsen of Nebraska Wesleyan University and
Shawn Lashbrook of Taylor; offensive linemen
Austin Anfinson and Chad Bertagni from Morningside,
Jason Grady of Dakota State,
Hallick Lehmann of Concordia (Neb.) University and the
University of St. Francis’ (Ind.) Zachary Minardo.
Comprising the defense are defensive linemen
Ben Black of Robert Morris (Ill.) University,
Thomas Dexter of Olivet Nazarene,
Mason Pauly (Friends University) and
Jake Venable (Taylor); linebackers
Nathan Jernigan of Cumberland University and
Ben Kullos of Dakota State; defensive backs
Tyler Mills (Taylor),
Ryan Moredock (St. Ambrose) and
Drew Philson (Olivet Nazarene). Specialists were kicker
Greg Nickles (Copiah-Lincoln Community College) and punter
Matt Cotiguala from St. Ambrose.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Michael MacEachern, Young Harris College (
mfmaceachern@yhc.edu) (706) 379-5106
Academic All-America® Co-Chair for Publicity/Communications
Rich Tortorelli, Oklahoma City University (
rtortorelli@okc.edu) (405) 208-5304
Academic All-America® Coordinator of Publicity