• Complete CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District Football Teams (PDF)
Four Ohio Valley Conference football student-athletes have been named to the Capital One Academic All-District ® football teams as selected by CoSIDA.
The selections included one student-athlete from District II and three from District III. The selections were Austin Peay's
Ben Stansfield and
Iosua Siliva, Eastern Kentucky's
Patrick Ford and Tennessee Tech's
Stephen Bush.
Each of the four were first-team selections and for making the first-team each will have his name appear on the national ballot for consideration for Academic All-American. The Capital One Academic All-America football team will be announced on Thursday, December 6.
To be eligible for nomination, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing and have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average. District II selections come from schools located within the states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. District III selections include schools from the states of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. District VI selections are from the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
A psychology major, Stansfield has yet to make anything but an A in his first four Austin Peay semesters. He has been a member of the President’s List (4.0 GPA) all four semesters and has earned the Ohio Valley Conference Academic Achievement Award—having the highest GPA for the year in a conference-sponsored sport—in each of his first two college years. In addition, he twice has been named to the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll (3.25 GPA/year) and has been a member of the Athletics Director’s Honor Roll (3.0 GPA) each semester. He was named the APSU Football Scholar-Athlete last year. Stansfield is a member of APSU Honors College as well as Gamma Beta Honor Society. He also is involved in both the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) as well as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. On the field, the Franklin native moved into the starting lineup this season after being a part-time starter/reserve his first two seasons. He is part of an offensive line that again is ranked om the Top 15 nationally for fewest sacks allowed.
Siliva, meanwhile, owns a 3.9 grade-point average as an Agriculture-Sustainable Development major. He is a two-time member of the President’s List along with two other semesters on the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA). He also is a two-time member of the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and a four-time Athletics Director’s Honor Roll member. A near non-qualifier when he came to the United States from Vailoa, America Samoa, Siliva has been chosen as the FOX College Sports Student-Athlete of the Game when the Govs play host to Tennessee Tech, Nov. 17. Siliva moved into the starting lineup a year at defensive end. After playing much of the 2012 season inside, he was shifted back out to defensive end against Southeast Missouri. He has 20 tackles on the season, including 4.5 for loss.
Ford, who carries a 3.90 grade point average, is in his final year of eligibility as an offensive lineman with the Eastern Kentucky football team. He has already completed an undergraduate degree in construction management (with a minor in business) and is currently working on a graduate degree in applied engineering and technology. He was recently named a OVC Scholar-Athlete, one of six in the Conference.
A sophomore from Cookeville, Bush entered the season in a backup role but was thrust into the starting lineup due to injuries. He rushed for a career-high 63 yards on 14 carries against North Greenville, then matched those numbers exactly with 63 yards in 14 carries when the Golden Eagles faced BCS No. 4 Oregon. He got his first career start at Southeast Missouri and also had the starting assignment against Jacksonville State. Through nine games, Bush ranks fourth on the team in rushing with 157 yards and two touchdowns. He has a 3.90 grade point average in business.
2012 OVC CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District Selections for Football
Patrick Ford, OL - Eastern Kentucky
Stephen Bush, RB - Tennessee Tech
Ben Stansfield, OL - Austin Peay
Iosua Siliva, DL - Austin Peay