Ball State University Athletics
Three Football Student-Athletes Earn Academic Honors
January 13, 2012 | Football
Three members of the Ball State football team -- Jordan Hansel, Scott Kovanda and Briggs Orsbon -- were named to the 2011 Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, which is selected by the league's faculty athletic representatives.
In addition, eight other members of the 2011 Cardinals team received honorable mention on the Academic All-MAC Team.
A total of 35 student-athletes were named to the squad, and Orsbon was one of only five to be honored for the third time in their career. Kovanda was named to the team for the second straight year.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games.
Hansel, who owns a 3.26 cumulative grade-point average on Ball State's 4.0 sclae as a communications studies major, was named to the All-MAC Second Team as an offensive lineman. He started the first nine games of the season before suffering a season ending injury. Hansel, who started 15 straight games before the injury, helped protect Ball State quarterback Keith Wenning, who threw for 2,786 yards -- the third best single-season mark in Ball State history. In addition, Hansel anchored an offensive line that allowed only 11 sacks and tied for 12th in the nation for fewest sacks allowed.
Kovanda, a punter with a 3.90 cumulative GPA as a finance major, was one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the nation's top collegiate punter. An All-MAC Third-Team choice, he punted 61 times for a 43.5 average and ranked 22nd in the nation in punting. Kovanda helped the Cardinals rank 18th in the nation in team net punting.
Orsbon completed his Ball State career in 2011 with a perfect 4.0 GPA as a finance and risk management major. A wide receiver for the Cardinals, Orsbon was also named a 2011 Capital One Academic All-American and was a candidate for the 2011 National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award. Orsbon, a two-time Capital One Academic All-District selection, served as one of the Cardinals team captains as a senior. He became only the second player in Ball State history to tally 200 or more career receptions and ended with 213 career catches, which ranks second all-time in Ball State history. Orsbon became only the sixth player in Ball State history to post over 2,000 career receiving yards and finished with 2,218, which ranks fifth all-time at Ball State. Orsbon played in 50 games in his four-year career.
Ball State finished the 2011 season with a 6-6 overall record under the guidance of first-year head coach Pete Lembo. The Cardinals won six games for the fourth time in 10 years, and posted wins in 2011 over Indiana, Army, Buffalo, Ohio, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
The following received honorable mention on the Academic All-MAC Team:
Armand Dehaney, Jr., CB, 3,56, Business
Zane Fakes, So., TE, 3.65, Exercise Science
Ryan Hartke, Sr., DE, 3.40, Accounting
Kreg Hunter, Sr., C, 3.39, Industry and Technology
Tony Martin, Jr., LB, 3.41, Physical Education
Andrew Puthoff, Sr., DE, 3.42, Health Science
Connor Ryan, So., WR, 3.48, Financial Analysis/Accounting
Keith Wenning, So., QB, 3.36, Undecided
