COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Josh Poplar wasn't just a standout on the football field. He also had excellent prowess in the classroom.

 

Selected at the end of 2016 to the CoSIDA Academic All-District football team, Poplar adds to his honors as he was selected on Friday to the 2016 FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team.

 

Poplar is one of two Ohio Valley Conference student-athletes to make the list, joining Eastern Kentucky quarterback Tyler Swafford.

 

Poplar, who recently completed his sophomore season with the Tech football team, but is a junior academically, recorded a 3.96 grade point average through his first four semesters at Tech in marketing.

 

The Knoxville native ended the season leading the Golden Eagles in tackles with 105, including 3.5 for-loss. He also forced two fumbles and recovered three and also broke up a pass.

 

He was named to the all-OVC second-team defense in November.

 

Forty-four student-athletes from all over the Football Championship Subdivision were selected to the team out of 126 nominees. The Missouri Valley Football Conference led all conferences with 11 student-athletes, while the Ivy League and the Pioneer Football League each claimed six spots.

 

"The FCS ADA is honored to recognize these football student-athletes selected to the 19^th annual Academic All-Star Team," said Tech director of athletics Mark Wilson, who is also the FCS ADA president. "We are proud that these young men continue to accomplish high achievement in the classroom, on the field, in the community and we are excited to recognize them for their efforts."

 

Football players from every FCS institution are eligible for the award. Each nominee is required to have a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale in their 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, as well as participating in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.

 

Nine finalists were also selected for the FCS ADA Postgraduate Scholarship. Two student-athletes will receive the scholarships during the associations meeting held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention in June.

 

The finalists include Christopher Beaschler (LB, Dayton), Joe Crochet (LB, The Citadel), Nick Mears (S, South Dakota State), Karter Schult (DL, Northern Iowa), Mark Spelman (C, Illinois State), Swafford (QB, Eastern Kentucky), Micah Tennant (OL, Lehigh), Anton Wahrby (OL, Wofford) and Jake Wieczorek (WR/KR, Holy Cross).