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Related:
Soltes - Harlon Hill Trophy finalist
Soltes, Schnaars - All-Region 1st team

EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University redshirt senior wide receiver Jon Schnaars and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Devon Ackerman have been named to the Capital One Academic All-America Division II football first team for the 2015 season, it was announced Wednesday.

Schnaars and Ackerman are the first set of ESU football teammates to earn first team honors in the same season, and just the second set of ESU teammates in any sport, joining Corinne Fitzgerald and Rose Mascoli (women's track/cross country) in 2013.

Last year, Schnaars was named to the second team with defensive lineman Bryan Thomson on the first team - the first time the Warriors placed two teammates on the Academic All-America football team in the same year.

Schnaars (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), a Business Management major, has a 3.52 grade-point average. He joins linebacker Matt Freed (2009-10) as the only two-time Academic All-America selections in program history.

Ackerman (Hanover, Pa./South Western), a Biochemistry major, has a 4.0 GPA. He was selected in his first year of eligibility, competing in his second season athletically and third year academically after redshirting in 2013.

Nine Warriors have combined for 11 Academic All-America citations - linebacker Warren Brown (2nd team) in 1979, tight end Ernie Siegrist (1st team) in 1984, punter Ed Detwiler (2nd) in 1992, defensive back Matt Crispell (1st) in 2004, Freed (1st) in 2009 and 2010, wide receiver Robert Bleiler (2nd) in 2013 and Thomson (1st) and Schnaars (2nd) in 2014.

In addition to his Academic All-America honors, Schnaars, was a national semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy and was an AFCA Good Works Team honoree this season.

On the field, he was the top wide receiver in Division II this season, leading the nation in receptions (114), yards (1,610) and touchdowns (22) in the regular season. He ranks second on the PSAC's single-season list in receptions, third in yards and tied for second in TD.

He had 100 yards receiving in nine of 11 games, including three 200-yard games. He set PSAC records with 20 catches and seven TD and had 218 yards in the five-overtime game vs. Shippensburg, had nine catches for 200 yards and two TD in a 56-12 win vs. Edinboro and 16 catches for 222 yards and four TD in the 49-37 win vs. Gannon in the final game of the season. He had the go-ahead two-point conversion with 1:10 remaining in ESU's 35-34 win vs. Bloomsburg, its first win over the Huskies since 2005.

In his career, Schnaars ranks first at ESU in receptions (239), third in yards (3,447) and second in TD, and fifth in PSAC history in receptions, eighth in yards and tied for fifth in TD.

He was previously named to the All-PSAC East second team in 2014 with 58 catches, 807 yards and 14 TD.

Ackerman has started all 22 games at left guard over the last two years, helping provide protection for an offense that ranked second of 169 DII schools in passing (361.5 ypg), 11th in total offense (488.0 ypg) and 15th in scoring offense (40.0 ppg) during the 2015 season.

The PSAC had 10 of the 49 selections across Division II, including five of the 24 on the first team. Schnaars and Ackerman are joined on the first team by Mercyhurst tight end John Matarazzo, Gannon defensive lineman Matthew Gawlik and Clarion defensive lineman Matt Koerper. Second team selections are Gannon quarterback Liam Nadler, IUP running back Chris Temple, Slippery Rock offensive lineman Kyle Henderson and defensive lineman Marcus Martin, and Mercyhurst offensive lineman Ryan Michaels.
 
 
About the Academic All-District and All-America program
 
The Academic All-District and Academic All-America teams recognize student-athletes for athletic and academic achievement and are nominated and voted on by members of CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America).

ESU is third in the PSAC with 83 Academic All-District selections in the last eight years (since 2007-08). The Warriors have seven selections so far this academic year.

ESU had five Academic All-America selections in 2014-15 - Schnaars (wide receiver, 2nd team) and Bryan Thomson (defensive line, 1st team) in football, Jay Young (infield, 2nd team) in baseball, Christina O'Connor (women's track & field/cross country, 1st team) and Alex Zubko (men's track & field/cross country, 2nd team).

This marks the fifth year that separate teams have been selected for Division II, Division III and College Division (NAIA/Canadian schools/two-year schools) institutions. The previous "College Division" included all DII, DIII, Canadian and junior college programs.

District 2 of Division II follows the NCAA's regional model and includes all schools from the PSAC (Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference), MEC (Mountain East Conference) and CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association). The Northeast-10 Conference is also included in the region for football.

ESU has had 39 student-athletes combine for 55 Academic All-America awards in school history. Twenty-two student-athletes have combined for 32 awards in the last eight years.


ESU's 1st team Academic All-America selections
2015 (fall) - Jon Schnaars, football (wide receiver)
2015 (fall) - Devon Ackerman, football (offensive line)
2015 (spring) - Christina O'Connor, women's track/cross country
2014 (fall) - Bryan Thomson, football (defensive line)
2013 (spring) - Corinne Fitzgerald, women's track/cross country
2013 (spring) - Rose Mascoli, women's track/cross country
2013 (spring) - Matt Tholis, men's track/cross country
2012 (spring) - Rose Mascoli, women's track/cross country
2012 (spring) - Dan Johnson, men's track/cross country
2010 (fall) - Matt Freed, football (linebacker)
2010 (spring) - Paul Wagner, men's track/cross country
2009 (fall) - Matt Freed, football (linebacker)
2004 (fall) - Matt Crispell, football (defensive back)
1999 (spring) - Katie Horst, women's at-large/field hockey
1998 (spring) - Katie Horst, women's at-large/field hockey
1987 (spring) - Michelle Knapik, women's at-large/field hockey
1984 (fall) - Ernie Siegrist, football (tight end)
1979 (spring) - Mike Petruny, baseball (infield)
 
ESU's Multiple-time Academic All-America selections
Jon Schnaars, football (2014, 2015)
Christina O'Connor, women's track/cross country (2014, 2015)
Brendan McKeown, men's at-large/wrestling (2013, 2014)
Khriswayne Wallace, men's soccer (2012, 2013)
Nemanja Nikolic, men's soccer (2011, 2013)
Rose Mascoli, women's track/cross country (2011, 2012, 2013)
Corinne Fitzgerald, women's track/cross country (2012, 2013)
Matt Freed, football (2009, 2010)
Paul Wagner, men's track/cross country (2009, 2010)
Kamar Samuels, men's soccer (2002, 2003)
Katie Horst, women's at-large/field hockey (1997, 1998, 1999)
Rob Stone, men's at-large/track and field (1996, 1998)
Laura Mason, women's at-large/track and field (1983, 1984, 1985)