MAC Champion Cardinals Lead League with 26 Academic All-Conference Selections

Photo by: Samantha Blankenship (Ball State Creative Services)

MAC Champion Cardinals Lead League with 26 Academic All-Conference Selections

January 15, 2021 | Football

A dozen repeat honorees headline BSU’s list of 2020 Academic All-MAC recipients

MUNCIE, Ind. -- Leading the league not only on the field but also in the classroom, 23rd-ranked Ball State placed a conference-high 26 players on the 2020 Academic All-MAC Football Team. It is the second straight season BSU has featured the most selections in the league.

The MAC champion Cardinals had 12 repeat honorees on the list, headlined by seven three-time recipients: right tackle Curtis Blackwell, linebacker Brock Burns, safety Bryce Cosby, linebacker Jimmy Daw, running back Will Jones, quarterback Drew Plitt and linebacker Jordan Williams.

Running back Tye Evans, long snapper Joseph Greenwood, fullback Cody Rudy, left tackle Kaleb Slaven and center Anthony Todd each earned the recognition for the second time.

Ball State's three graduate transfers, defensive lineman Chris Agyemang, linebacker Anthony Ekpe and safety J.T. Wahee – all of whom earned similar honors at their previous schools – were each named to the team.

Rounding out the list of Cardinals on the squad were linebacker Christian Albright, linebacker Clayton Coll, wide receiver Antwan Davis, linebacker Hank Grenda, defensive lineman Kendal Kendrick, kicker Jack Knight, tight end Dylan Koch, linebacker Brandon Martin, linebacker Cole Pearce, defensive lineman Jack Sape and punter Nathan Snyder.

The Academic All-MAC honor is for student-athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of his team's contests. First-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award.

Seven of Ball State's recipients were also All-MAC selections on the field. Of the 26 BSU players on the team, 24 are slated to return next season, as a large number of senior take advantage of the NCAA's blanket waiver for additional eligibility based on the pandemic.

The Cardinals had a banner season in 2020, finishing 7-1 overall, winning the program's first MAC championship since 1996 by defeating No. 23 Buffalo and claiming the first bowl victory in school history by beating No. 19 San Jose State in the Offerpad Arizona Bowl.

Ball State finished the year ranked No. 23 in both the AP Top 25 and the Amway Coaches Poll, marking the first year-end ranking in either poll in program history.

Ball State's 2020 Academic All-MAC Selections
Chris Agyemang, Grad, 3.667, MBA (grad school)
Christian Albright, Senior, 3.311, Psychological Science
Curtis Blackwell, Senior, 3.695, Business Administration
Brock Burns, R-Junior, 3.852, Communication Studies
Clayton Coll, Sophomore, 3.927, Biology
Bryce Cosby, Senior, 3.360, Telecommunications
Antwan Davis, Grad, 3.704, Athletic Coaching Education (grad school)
Jimmy Daw, R-Junior, 3.375, Business Administration
Anthony Ekpe, Grad, 3.556, MBA (grad school)
Tye Evans, R-Sophomore, 3.290, Social Work
Joseph Greenwood, Senior, 3.235, Business Administration
Hank Grenda, R-Junior, 3.330, Exercise Science
Will Jones, R-Junior, 3.351, Business Administration
Kendal Kendrick, R-Junior, 3.212, Sport Administration
Jack Knight, R-Freshman, 3.875, Accounting
Dylan Koch, R-Senior, 3.767, Information & Communication Sciences (grad school)
Brandon Martin, R-Junior, 3.221, Marketing
Cole Pearce, R-Sophomore, 3.551, Geography
Drew Plitt, R-Senior, 3.567, MBA-Finance (grad school)
Cody Rudy, R-Senior, 3.261, Family and Child (grad school)
Jack Sape, R-Sophomore, 3.361, Business Administration
Kaleb Slaven, R-Senior, 3.21, Business Administration degree (now in MBA grad program)
Nathan Snyder, Senior, 3.24 Marketing degree (now in MBA grad program)
Anthony Todd, R-Senior, 3.556, MBA (grad school)
J.T. Wahee, Grad, 3.333, Athletic Coaching Education (grad school)
Jordan Williams, R-Junior, 3.675, Accounting