2012 Capital One Academic All-America® Football Teams release dates:
College Division Team (Monday, Dec. 3)
NCAA Division III Team: (below)
NCAA Division II Team: (Wed., Dec. 5 release)
NCAA Division I Team: (Thur., Dec. 6 release)
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Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Football Team
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TOWSON, Md. – Senior defensive back Nick Driskill of undefeated Mount Union University headlines the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
An exercise science major with a 3.77 G.P.A.,
Driskill has been selected as the winner of the Capital One Division III Academic All-America® of the Year award for football.
The Capital One Division III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2012-13 D-III Academic All-America® teams program.
An exercise science major with a 3.77 G.P.A., Driskill is making his second straight appearance on the Capital One Academic All-America® College Division Football team. He was a second-team selection as a junior in 2011. A native of Wabash, Ind. Driskill is also a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, which is presented to the top all-around football player in NCAA Division.
A two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference first team selection, Driskill leads the nation
's top defense with 71 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Mount Union is allowing only 6.8 points per game. Driskill has appeared in 54 career games and the Purple Raiders have a 55-3 record during his career.
A two-time winner of the Lee Tressel Award as the top defensive back in the OAC, Driskill has made 307 tackles in his career. He also has 12 interceptions and five fumble recoveries. He has also scored three defensive touchdowns. In 2011, Driskill was a consensus All-American and the D3football.com 2011 National Defensive Player of the Year.
Driskill has led number one-ranked Mount Union to a 13-0 record and the NCAA Division III semi-finals. Making their 18th consecutive NCAA semi-final appearance, the Purple Raiders are seeking their 11th national championship.
Driskill is joined on the 2012 Capital One Academic All-America® Division III first team by seven repeat Academic All-America® picks, including two first team returnees and five former second team selections.
The 24 members of the Capital One Academic All-America® Division III Football First Team maintain an average G.P.A. of 3.85, while one of the members carries a G.P.A. of 4.00.
Senior linebacker Craig Sykes of Heidelberg and
senior place kicker Allen Cain of Texas Lutheran are making their second appearance on the Capital One Academic All-America® College Division first team.
Senior quarterback Wyatt Hanus of Dubuque, senior running back Brett Murray of Washington & Lee, senior offensive lineman Ethan Peterson of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, senior defensive back Sam Thompson of Carnegie Mellon and
senior defensive lineman Nat Kell of Denison were named to the Capital One Academic All-America® second-team honorees in 2011.
Sykes, a biology (pre-med emphasis) major with a 3.90 G.P.A., is making his second straight appearance on the on the first team. Another finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, Sykes led the Student Princes to a 9-2 record and their first NCAA Division III Playoff appearance in 40 years. A native of Centerburg, Ohio, Sykes is a two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference selection, earning first-team honors this season. He finished his career with 255 career tackles and six interceptions.
A mathematics and computer science double major with a 3.51 G.P.A.,
Cain was named the American Southwest Conference Special Teams Player of the Year for Texas Lutheran. As a senior, he set a conference record with 17 field goals, including a 59-yarder that was also tops in the conference. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Cain holds the school and ASC records with 43 field goals.
An accounting and business marketing double major with a 3.85 G.P.A.,
Hanus is also a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy. Named as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Most Valuable Player, he was named first team all-conference for the second year in a row. A native of Traer, Iowa, he completed 258 of 390 passes for 3165 yards and 27 touchdowns. Hanus finished his career as the Spartans’ career leader in passing yards (8,394), completions (670) and touchdowns (82).
Murray, an environmental studies and business administration double major with a 3.71 G.P.A., rushed for 775 yards on 125 carries with nine touchdowns for Washington & Lee. A native of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., Murray was a three-time All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honoree, including two-consecutive first-team selections. He finished his career ranked fourth in school history with 5,135 all-purpose yards. As a senior, he helped the Generals post an 8-3 record and win the ODAC championship.
A nuclear engineering and physics double major with a 3.84 G.P.A.,
Peterson anchored the M.I.T. offensive line that ranked among the national leaders in fewest sacks allowed with nine. A native of Rutland, Vt. Peterson was selected as a first-team All-New England Football Conference selection. He is also a finalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy that recognizes the best scholar-athlete in the nation.
Thompson, a mechanical engineering major with a 3.95 G.P.A., was a nominee for the 2012 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team. A native of Alcoa, Tenn., Thompson led Carnegie Mellon to a 6-5 record. Honored as an All-University Athletic Association first team selection, he ranked third nationally in punt returns with an average of 17.75 yards. He also set a school record with a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown.
A mathematics and computer science double major with 3.96 G.P.A.,
Kell appeared in and started in all 10 games for Denison and recorded 24 tackles, five sacks and seven tackles for loss. A native of Upper Arlington, Ohio, Kell was a three-year starter on the defensive line who made 114 career tackles with 15 quarterback sacks.
Senior Johnathan Foster (Bethany) and
junior Cory Gebhard (St. Scholastica) are the wide receivers on the Capital One Academic All-America® first team. A psychology major with a 3.93 G.P.A.,
Foster earned honorable mention first All-President Athletic Conference notice. A native of Cumberland, Md., set a school season record for receptions with 72 catches for 591 yards and two touchdowns. He finished his career as the fifth-ranked receiver in school history with 139 catches.
A physical therapy major with a 3.98 G.P.A.,
Gebhard led the Saints to their second consecutive NCAA Division III playoff appearance in just the program’s fifth season. A native of St. Croix Falls, Wis., Gebhard caught 36 passes for 571 yards and eight touchdowns as the Saints finished the season with an 8-3 record.
Junior tight end Brendon Foss of Minnesota-Morris and
senior running back Brett Williams of Kenyon join offensive linemen
Weston Kitley (Wabash), Mike Seefeld (Wisconsin-Whitewater), Ben Strehlow (Wisconsin-Oshkosh) and
Chad Thompson of Augsburg to complete the offensive unit on the Capital One Academic All-America® first team.
A management major with a 3.85 G.P.A.,
Foss was a second team All-Upper Midwest Athletic Conference pick for Minnesota-Morris in 2012 despite missing three games. A native of Hancock, Minn., Foss led the Cougars with 54 receptions for 789 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns. He averaged 14.6 yards per reception and was 14th in the nation with 112.7 receiving yards per game.
An English major with a 3.49 G.P.A,
Williams was a three-time All-North Coast Athletic Conference selection, earning second team honors this season. A native of Chesterland, Ohio, Williams became the eighth Kenyon player to eclipse the 1,000-yard milestone in a season as he rushed for 1,027 yards on 214 carries with seven touchdowns. He finished his career with 2,195 rushing yards.
A chemistry major with a 3.74 G.P.A.,
Kitley helped the Wabash offense average 210.1 rushing yards per game as well as 198.5 passing yards and 408.6 total yards of offense per game. A native of Indianapolis, Ind., Kitley earned first team All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors for the third consecutive season.
A special education major with a 3.95 G.P.A.,
Seefeld was key performer for the Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks offensive line that ranked second in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in rushing offense. A native of Cudahy, Wis., Seefeld played for Warhawks’ NCAA championship teams in 2009, 2010 and 2011 and helped the team pile up a 46-game winning streak. A two-time member of the Dean’s List, he was named to the 2012 WIAC Honor Roll.
An economics major with a 3.72 G.P.A.,
Strehlow was a mainstay on the offensive line for undefeated Wisconsin-Oshkosh. A first team All-WIAC selection, the Brandon, Wis. native has helped the Titans reach the semi-finals of the NCAA Division III playoffs against the University of St. Thomas. Strehlow has been a part of a powerful Titans’ offense that averages 39.2 points per game.
An accounting and finance double major with a 3.90 G.P.A.,
Thompson is the only junior offensive lineman on the Capital One Academic All-America® first team. A two-year starter at offensive center, the Maple Grove, Minn. native earned second team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic honors for the second year in a row while leading the Auggies to a 7-3 record.
Junior Alec French of St. Scholastica and
senior Matt Rolf of Concordia-Chicago earned Capital One Academic All-America® first team honors as defensive backs while junior
John Arena of Johns Hopkins and
senior Noah Joseph of Union (N.Y.) complete the linebacking corps. On the defensive line,
senior Nick Erdman (Shenandoah), Gavin Maurer (Bethel) and
Nate Nasrallah of Capital earned first team notice.
An accounting and finance double major with a 3.94 G.P.A.,
French was a first-team All-Upper Midwest Athletic Conference selection for St. Scholastica. He earned the UMAC sportsmanship award as he anchored a defense that reached the NCAA playoffs for the second consecutive season. A native of Isanti, Minn., he led the Saints with 90 tackles with 90 and was second on the team with three interceptions.
An exercise science major with a 3.90 G.P.A.,
Rolf led Concordia-Chicago to its first ever NCAA Division III playoff appearance and a 10-1 record. A native of Rochester, Mich., Rolf led the Cougars with five interceptions as he earned All-Northern Athletics Conference honors for the third time.
A neuroscience major with a perfect 4.00 G.P.A.,
Arena helped Johns Hopkins capture the Centennial Conference championship and advance to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs and a 10-2 record. A native of Bryn Mawr, Pa., Arena earned second-team All-Centennial Conference honors as he recorded 64 tackles, third on the team.
A chemistry and sociology double major with a 3.90 G.P.A,
Joseph led Union (N.Y.) College with 105 tackles in 10 games. A finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, he also led the Liberty League in tackles and ranked 45th in the nation. A native of Chevy Chase, Md., Joseph was an unanimous first team All-Liberty League selection and a three-time Liberty League weekly honoree.
A doctor of physical therapy major with a 3.74 G.P.A.,
Erdman was fourth on the team with 50 tackles. The team leader with 13.5 tackles for lost yardage, he was second in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. He intercepted the pass in the season finale at Washington and Lee. Erdman, a native of Moseley, Va., finished his career as the Hornets’ all-time leader in tackles for loss and earned second team All-ODAC honors.
A biology (pre-med) major with a 3.94 G.P.A.,
Maurer earned second team All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors. He anchored a Bethel defense that advanced to the second round of the NCAA playoffs and posted a 9-3 record. A native of Cedar Mountain, Minn., Maurer made 36 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
Nasrallah, a philosophy and pre-law double major with a 3.98 G.P.A., led Capital with nine sacks and finished third in the Ohio Athletic Conference. He had seven sacks in his last three games. A native of Norton, Ohio, Nasrallah earned honorable mention All-OAC notice for the second straight season.
About Capital One
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www.capitalone.com) is a financial holding company whose subsidiaries, which include Capital One, N.A. and Capital One Bank (USA), N. A., had $216.5 billion in deposits and $294.5 billion in total assets outstanding as of March 31, 2012. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One and ING Direct offer a broad
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A Fortune 500 company, Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 100 index.
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About the Capital One Academic All-America® Program
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.
Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 16,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.
For more information about the Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit
www.cosida.com.
For More Information, please contact:
Dan O’Connell, Towson University
Academic All-America ® Vice-Chair for Publicity/Communications
doconnell@towson.edu
(410) 704-3102
Nick Minerd, Case Western Reserve University
Academic All-America® Coordinator of Publicity
nxm229@case.edu
(216) 368-6517
Jeff Miller, Baldwin-Wallace College
Academic All-America ® Coordinator of Publicity
jefmille@bw.edu
(440) 826-2780