Friday, October 28, 2016

PORTLAND, Ore. – A perfect 4.00 grade point average for Central Washington defensive back Drew Wallen leads the list of 45 selections to the 2016 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Football All-Academic Team.

Wallen, who is a business administration major, is the only 4.00 student on the squad that recognizes performers of sophomore standing or better with a 3.20 cumulative GPA or better. Wallen has played in all seven games for the Wildcats so far this season and has eight tackles on the season.

The next highest GPA is also a defensive player and one of Division II’s best. Simon Fraser linebacker Jordan Herdman earned his third selection to the All-Academic Team with a 3.90 GPA as a biomedical physiology major. Herdman set the GNAC career records for total tackles and assisted tackles earlier this season.

Herdman is one of eight players to be selected to the team three consecutive years. The list includes Azusa Pacific’s Jonathan Thropay and Ethan Zeidler; Humboldt State’s Gus Johnson and Chase Krivashei; Jordan’s brother at Simon Fraser, Justin Herdman, and Western Oregon’s Steven Etheridge and Kaleb Nelson. In all, 23 of the 45 selected to the team were repeat selections.

Wallen and Jordan Herdman lead a list of five players on the team with 3.70 GPAs or better. Central Washington’s Chandler Strueli has a 3.74 GPA as a mechanical engineering major, Simon Fraser’s Andrew Pauls has a 3.72 GPA as a biomedical physiology major and Western Oregon’s Etheridge has a 3.72 GPA as a business major.

Azusa Pacific leads GNAC teams with 17 Football All-Academic Team selections. Central Washington finished with 13 selections.

To qualify for selection to the GNAC Football All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must be of sophomore standing or better, have a minimum 3.20 cumulative GPA and must have competed for their nominating institution for at least one season.