CoSIDA Release
AUSTIN, Texas – Graduate student defensive lineman Ricky Robinson (Mathias, W.Va./East Hardy) of the Shepherd University football team has been named to the 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America® Football Team. Robinson was first team selection for the second time in his career. He is the first Shepherd student-athlete to become a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American. The team was selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Robinson, also a first team honoree in 2019, has a 3.88 grade point average as a business administration major in his undergraduate classes and boasts a 4.00 GPA in his MBA classes. He was third on the team in total tackles with 48 (26 solos) in 2019. He added 8.0 tackles-for-loss (-27 yards), two sacks (-12 yards), and a pair of forced fumbles.
Robinson joins Andy McCullough (1983 and 1984) and Brian Jackson (1985 and 1986) as Shepherd football players to gain multiple first team All-America honors for their academic prowess.
Robinson will face CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year Evan Ernst of Ohio Dominican when the Rams open the 2021 season on Sept. 2 when they travel to Ohio Dominican for a 7 p.m. contest.
2021 Academic All-America ® Football NCAA Division II Team
FIRST TEAM Pos. Name School Yr. GPA Major
QB Evan Ernst Ohio Dominican University Sr. 4.00 Finance
RB Brandon Blair West Texas A&M University Sr. 4.00 Biology
RB Andrew Brazicki Bentley University Sr. 3.70 Corporate Finance & Accounting
WR Henry Litwin (1) Slippery Rock University Gr. 3.66/4.00 Safety Management (UG) / MBA (G)
WR Konnor Maloney Hillsdale College Sr. 3.72 Exercise Science
TE Preston Guerra (1) Colorado State University-Pueblo Sr. 3.94 Business Management
OL Derek Ivey (1) Stonehill College Sr. 3.94 Economics
OL Lane Potter Wayne State University Gr. 3.83/3.60 Global Supply Chain Mgmt. (UG) / MBA (G)
OL Andrew Strickland (2) Wingate University Gr. 3.81/3.88 Accounting (G)
OL Austin Wayt Slippery Rock University Gr. 3.50/4.00 Safety Management (UG) / MBA (G)
OL Madison Wrather Northeastern State University Sr. 4.00 Cellular & Microbiology / Business
K Tanner Harding Notre Dame College Sr. 3.91 Psychology
DL Alexander Findura Bloomsburg University Sr. 3.59 Business Management
DL Patrick McMahon Davenport University Sr. 4.00 Accounting
DL Ricky Robinson (1) Shepherd University Gr. 3.88/4.00 Business Administration (UG) / MBA (G)
DL JT Turner (2) Concord University Sr. 3.94 Business Administration
LB Jackson Cauthen Tusculum University Sr. 3.95 Nursing
LB Jace McDown (2) Emporia State University Sr. 3.99 Health & Human Performance
LB Nathan Moore Notre Dame College Jr. 3.96 Management
DB Alexander Anschutz Hillsdale College Sr. 3.86 Biochemistry
DB Brock Floyd Southern Arkansas University Jr. 3.77 Business Administration / Management
DB Alex Shillow (2) Texas A&M University-Commerce Gr. 3.85/3.75 Sports & Rec Management (UG) / MBA (G)
DB Eli Weber Augustana University Jr. 3.67 Nursing
P Lane Spiker Washburn University Sr. 3.70 Health Services Administration
ST Max Drinon Bentley University Sr. 3.56 Supply Chain Management
ST Tucker Mullis Wingate University Sr. 3.82 Management
SECOND TEAM Pos. Name School Yr. GPA Major
QB Grayson Willingham Lenoir-Rhyne University Gr. 3.75/3.80 Business Administration
RB Toriano Clinton University of Indianapolis Jr. 3.42 Sport Management
RB Payton McAlister Missouri University of Science & Technology Jr. 3.41 Civil Engineering
WR Logan Bolin Ashland University Gr. 3.60/3.75 Finance / MBA
WR Cole Thurness Chadron State College Gr. 3.37/4.00 Organizational Management
TE Jordan Smith (#) Gannon University Sr. 4.00 Biomedical Engineering
OL Demetrius Blackwell Catawba College Sr. 3.65 Business Administration
OL Eric Hudanick California University of Pennsylvania Gr. 3.51/3.77 Business Administration
OL Cole Johnson Hillsdale College Sr. 3.83 Financial Management
OL Gavin Posey Ashland University Jr. 3.88 Accounting
OL Kyle Urich Missouri University of Science & Technology Jr. 3.81 Mechanical Engineering
K Chase Allbaugh Lenoir-Rhyne University Sr. 3.68 Business Management & Marketing
DL Shawn Aarhus Concordia-St. Paul Jr. 3.75 Health & Physical Education
DL Zach Howard Northwest Missouri State University So. 3.51 Physical Education
DL Karron Jeter Winston-Salem State University Sr. 3.52 Exercise Science
DL Luc Leszczynski Winona State University Sr. 3.72 Economics / Finance
LB Jackson Barnes Northwest Missouri State University Jr. 3.96 Chemistry / Medicinal Chemistry
LB Clay McDonald West Liberty University Gr. 3.84/4.00 Business Management (UG) / MBA (G)
LB Dalton Smerchek Concordia-St. Paul Sr. 3.97 Exercise Science
DB Luke Fritsch Augustana University Sr. 3.81 Biology
DB John Merica West Virginia Wesleyan College Jr. 3.76 Accounting
DB Dominique Ramsey Texas A&M University - Commerce Sr. 3.43 Industrial Engineering
DB Connor Steeb University of Indianapolis Gr. 3.53/3.80 MBA
P Andrew Cantrell Tusculum University Jr. 3.64 Chemistry & Pre-Pharmacy
CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: Evan Ernst, Ohio Dominican University
(1) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team selection in 2019-20
(2) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® second team selection in 2019-20
(#) – CoSIDA Academic All-America® first team selection in 2018-19
Shepherd Football CoSIDA Academic All-America Selections
Jeff Dodson (1996) Second Team
Ron Branch (1997) Second Team
Robert Hayes (2012) Second Team
Robert Hayes (2013) First Team
Nick Barmoy (2016) Second Team
Myles Humphrey (2016) Second Team
Myles Humphrey (2017) Second Team
Deonte Glover (2019) First Team
Ricky Robinson (2019) First Team
Ricky Robinson (2021) First Team
Shepherd Football NAIA All-Academic All-America Selections
Andy McCollough (1983) First Team
Andy McCollough (1984) First Team
Steve Suser (1985) First Team
Chris Mack (1985) First Team
Brian Jackson (1985) First Team
Brian Jackson (1986) First Team
