View complete FCS ADA Scholar All-Start team (PDF)
By Rob Schabert, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Tennessee Tech seniors Patrick Prewitt and Cody Matthews are among the 50 players selected to the 17th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star Team. The elite list was announced by the FCS ADA Friday.
Prewitt and Matthews are two of the four student-athletes from the Ohio Valley Conference included on the list, joining offensive lineman Max Holcombe of Jacksonville State and defensive back Brandon Stanley of Eastern Kentucky.
Prewitt, a defensive back, was one of only two members of the squad who posted a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Despite having a year of eligibility remaining, Prewitt has closed out his playing career after graduating with a degree in exercise science, physical education and welness. He played in a reserve role in all 12 games, seeing time on defense and special teams, and made 16 total tackles. He served three years as a member of Tech's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Matthews, a wide receiver who finished among Tech's all-time leaders in catches and yards, completed his degree with a 3.82 GPA. Graduating with a degree in business administation, he returned from an injury-shortened season in 2013 to start all 12 games in 2014 and lead the Golden Eagles with 48 catches for 670 yards and six touchdowns. IN the final game of his career, he grabbed 10 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns. Named a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District player, he finished his career ranked eighth in Tech history with 110 catches and 10th in yardage with 1,647.
Matthews won the OVC Medal of Honor in 2013 for posting the highest GPA among all football players in the league, and Prewitt captured the same honor in 2014.
Tech joins the likes of Harvard and Yale among the 10 schools represented this year by two selections. Other programs with two winners are Bucknell, Coastal Carolina, Idaho State. North Dakota State, South Dakota State, Southern Illinois, and Chattanooga.
There were 103 total nominees. The Missouri Valley Football Conference led all leagues with nine student-athletes named to the All-Star Team, and the Big Sky Conference followed with eight award winners from its member institutions.
"The FCS ADA is proud to recognize its Academic All-Star Team for the 17th-straight season," stated FCS ADA President Ken Beazer, director of athletics, Southern Utah University. "This year, the team was selected from the highest number of nominees since 2002. It is extremely admirable what our football student-athletes are able to accomplish in the classroom and on the field."
Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision institutions are eligible for the award. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. He must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position. Each member school could nominate a maximum of two players.
Additionally, from the Academic All-Star team, 10 finalists were selected for the 14th Annual FCS ADA $5,000 Postgraduate Scholarships. Two student-athletes will receive postgraduate scholarships during the Association's annual membership meeting held in conjunction with the 2015 National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, being held at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla., June 11-18.
The finalists are Corey Boemer, Southern Illinois University, C, 3.89 GPA; James Cowser, Southern Utah University, DL, 3.99 GPA; Kyle Emanuel, North Dakota State University, DE, 3.66 GPA; Jake Farley, University of Northern Iowa, LB, 3.69 GPA; Max Holcombe, Jacksonville State University, C, 3.72 GPA; Troy McClelland, University of San Diego, LB/S, 3.89 GPA; Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State University, S, 3.93 GPA; Jason Schneider, South Dakota State University, WR, 3.98 GPA; Esley Thorton, North Dakota State University, LB, 3.92 GPA; and Zach Zenner, South Dakota State University, RB, 3.86 GPA.
A special Review Committee of Football Championship Subdivision athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were Ken Beazer, Southern Utah (chair); Thorr Bjorn, Rhode Island; Brian Hutchinson, Morehead State; Jeff Tingey, Idaho State; and Mark Wilson, Tennessee Tech..
About the FCS ADA: Now in its 22nd year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 50th year. For more information on NACDA and the 15 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
