Friday, December 4, 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – For the second year in a row, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s top defensive player is also at the top of the list of academic performers.

Simon Fraser’s Jordan Herdman, the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, leads the list of 49 selections to the GNAC Football All-Academic Team. Herdman, who led the conference and finished third in Division II with 14.8 tackles per game, has maintained a 3.99 cumulative grade point average as a biomedical physiology major.

Herdman is one of four GNAC football players with a cumulative GPA of 3.90 or better. The list also includes Dixie State’s Nik Wolford, Humboldt State’s Taylor Mitchell and South Dakota Mines’ Sam Cowan. In addition, a total of 11 players made the team with GPAs or 3.70 or better.

The All-Academic Team includes 17 repeat selections from 2014 and four three-time selections: Humboldt State’s Mitchell and Casey Mintz and Western Oregon’s Alexander Bradt and Shane Kuenzi. Eleven of the All-Academic Team selections were also All-GNAC selections. Joining Herdman from the first team is Humboldt State’s Alex Cappa, the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and Chase Kirvashei, Azusa Pacific’s Jonathan Thropay, Dixie State’s Colton Olson, South Dakota Mines’ Sam Cowan and Westerm Oregon’s Kuenzi.

Two of Humboldt State’s selections, Mitchell and Krivashei, were also recognized last month with selection to the CoSIDA All-Academic Super Region 3 Team.

Azusa Pacific leads the squad with 12 selections. Central Washington, Humboldt State, South Dakota Mines and Western Oregon each had seven selections.

* - 2014 All-Academic Selection    + - 2013 All-Academic Selection