CLEVELAND, Ohio – Western Illinois senior offensive lineman Jimmy Holtschlag (Quincy/Notre Dame) ended his career by receiving the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCA ADA) Academic All-Star Award for a third time. Holtschlag was one of 43 winners nationwide listed on the 16th annual list.
Holtschlag and the Leatherneck football program helped the Missouri Valley Football Conference become one of three conferences to have six student-athletes honored.
“The FCS ADA is honored to present this prestigious award to our football student-athletes each year,” stated FCS ADA President Brian Hutchinson, director of athletics, Morehead State University. “Each year, these young men epitomize the definition of student-athlete, both in the classroom and on the field. Our Association is pleased to recognize their accomplishments annually.”
Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees was 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.
Holtschlag already joined an elite group in Leatherneck football history when he earned All-MVFC and First Team Academic All-MVFC honors three times each, and now receiving the FCS ADA national accolade the maximum three years. Last month, Holtschlag was named Capital One/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-America, the 11th time in program history a football student-athlete received the prestigious award.
He carries a 3.94 GPA, majoring in Agricultural Sciences with a minor in both Zoology and Chemistry. Holtschlag played in 46 career games and made 40 starts on the offensive line.
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: Brian Hutchinson, Morehead State (chair); Ken Beazer, Southern Utah; Charlie Cobb, Appalachian State; Ron Strollo, Youngstown State; and Jeff Tingey, Idaho State.
About the FCS ADA: Now in its 21st 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 49th year. For more information on NACDA and the 13 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.
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