Twelve GLIAC Student-Athletes Named to the ESPN The Magazine 2010 Academic All-District Football Teams

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The 2011 CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-District Teams for football were announced today (November 4) by the Academic All-America® Committee.  A total of 12 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) football student-athletes earned Academic All-District honors.

The ESPN Academic All-District teams are nominated and voted upon by the nation’s sports information directors. To be eligible, student-athletes must have a 3.30 cumulative grade point average or higher and not be in their first year at their institution. District IV in the college division includes all non-Division I football student-athletes from schools in the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

Six GLIAC students earned First Team Academic All-District status, including:  Ashland University senior receiver Joe Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio); Michigan Technological University senior fullback Tim Schmalz (Shawano, Wis.); Wayne State University junior running back Josh Renel (Rochester Hills, Mich.); Saginaw Valley State University junior offensive lineman Frank Toarmina (Westland, Mich.); Grand Valley State University junior defensive back Zach Breen (Rockford, Mich.); and Saginaw Valley State junior linbacker Grant Caserta (Holland, Mich.).

The six GLIAC students that earned Second Team Academic All-District accolades are:  Northern Michigan University junior punter Garrett Peck (Arena, Wis.); Saginaw Valley State junior tight end Zach Cecich (Crown Point, Ind.); Michigan Tech senior running back Phil Milbrath (Norway, Mich.); Ohio Dominican University junior Ben Vulhop (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Wayne State junior linebacker Nick Thomas (Akron, Ohio).  University of Indianapolis senior defensive back Craig Ray (Plainfield, Ind.) garnered second team honors in District V.

Two Academic All-District teams are chosen in each district, with those on the All-District first teams placed on the national ballot for Academic All-America consideration.