Click here to view the comlete CoSIDA Academic All-District teams
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Academic success and recognition have become commonplace for the Tennessee Tech football program, but this season the Golden Eagles have broken new ground. For the first time in program history, three different players have been named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team.
Senior safety Stephen Bush has received the honor for the second time in his Golden Eagle career, while senior runningback Radir Annoor and junior wide receiver Jordan Smith have each been recognized for the first time.
The Golden Eagle football program has produced two Academic All-District selections seven different seasons since 1985, but this marks a new level for the team with three selections. In all, the football program has had 31 players named to the Academic All-District teams in the past 30 years.
The team recognizes student-athletes for their success on the field and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America and Academic All-District program is organized and voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
The three Tech honorees are among eight players from the Ohio Valley Conference to earn Academic All-District honors in 2015. Jacksonville State also placed three players on the list while Austin Peay and Murray State each had one player chosen.
Bush made the moved from runningback to safety following spring drills, and has been in the Golden Eagle defensive starting lineup in all nine games this season. He ranks first in the Ohio Valley Conference in fumbles forced and is fifth on the team and 45th in the OVC in tackles with 40, including three tackles-for-loss.
The son of Barry and Sharla Bush, Stephen is a 2011 graduate of Cookeville High School where he enjoyed an outstanding career including Most Valuable Offensive Player and team captain. He is currently enrolled as a graduate student pursuing his master’s degree after receiving his bachelor’s degree in December in accounting with a 3.69 GPA.
After seeing limited action while playing in 21 games his first two seasons, he was third on the team in rushing in 2013. Off to a strong start in 2014, he suffered an injury that sidelined him and allowed him to sit out the balance of the year as a redshirt and gain an added season of eligibility.
Radir Annoor currently ranks third on the team in rushing, starting in eight of nine games in 2015. The son of Radir and Tamala Annoor, he is majoring in EXPW/physical therapy and has compiled a 3.71 GPA. He was named this year as an Arthur Ashe Sports-Scholar Award winner by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
The speedy Annoor came to Tech in 2012 out of Brentwood Academy where he helped capture a state track championship and was an all-state performer in both football and on the track. He has been in the Golden Eagle lineup since his freshman season, playing in 35 career games and rushing for 529 yards on 125 carries.
Jordan Smith returned to the field in 2015 after sitting out a redshirt season in 2014. The son of Melvin and Jackie Smith, he is majoring in EXPW/pre-physical therapy and owns a 3.55 GPA. He was an all-state selection during his high school career at Battle Ground Academy, and started seeing action for the Golden Eagles as a true freshman in the 2012 season.
This season, Smith is second on the team in receiving with 21 catches for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He has now played in 26 career games and recorded 37 catches for 434 yards and three scores.
Bush joins the ranks of Andy Rittenhouse, Ted Lockerby, Wes Gallagher, Jon Mahan and Bradley Thompson as Golden Eagles who were named Academic All-District multiple times.
The three selections raise to 115 the total number of Golden Eagles student-athletes named to CoSIDA Academic All-District teams since 1985, including 31 from the football team. Previous TTU football players named Academic All-District include Barry Wilmore (1985), Andy Rittenhouse (1985, 86, 87), Joel Chandler (1986), Clark Richey (1987), Spencer Hissam (1990), Ted Lockerby (1991, 92), Scott Trent (1995), Jeff Norman (1997), Wes Gallagher (1997, 98, 99), Trey Perry (2002), Brett Vavra (2004), Jon Mahan (2005, 06), Taylor Askew (2007, 08, 09), Bradley Thompson (2007, 08), Corey Watson (2011), James Normand (2011), and Bush (2012).
Bush, Annoor and Smith will now have their names placed into consideration for Academic All-America honors.
