August 7, 2007

Pittsburg State Second Among Division II Schools
at Producing CoSIDA Academic All-Americans
Gorilla Football Program Leads Division II in 2000s

| top schools of the 2000s | top DII conferences of the 2000s |
| top football programs of the 2000s | PSU Academic All-America Honor Roll |

    PITTSBURG -- Truman State University and Pittsburg State University rank one-two among NCAA Division II institutions at producing CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, following the completion of the 2006-07 academic year, and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association continues to lead all Division II conferences in CoSIDA Academic All-America placement during this decade.
    Truman and Pittsburg State have produced 41 and 40 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans (as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America) since January 2000 to lead all Division II institutions. The University of Indianapolis is third (29), followed by the University of Missouri-Rolla (25), the University of North Dakota (25) and Wingate University (25).
    Truman and Pitt State produced four honorees apiece during the 2006-07 academic year to maintain their placement in the Division II standings from 2005-06.

MIAA Paces Division II Conference Field
    On the conference level, the MIAA easily has outdistanced its closest peers, with 163 total CoSIDA Academic All-America winners this decade.
The North Central Conference (NCC) is second with 111, while the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) is third with 85.
    The NCC narrowly edged the MIAA in CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees during the 2006-07 academic year, producing 13 winners to the MIAA’s 11 selections this past year.
    Among the Division II membership, two additional MIAA institutions remained in the top 10 list: the University of Central Missouri, eighth, 16; Missouri Southern State University, ninth (tie), 15.
    “MIAA member schools have distinguised themselves as some of the leading institutions in the nation in regard to Academic All-America placement,” said Jim Johnson, who became the new MIAA commissioner on July 1. “Certainly the MIAA has some of the premier Division II athletics programs year-in and year-out. Our continued academic success illustrates the commitment our student-athletes also have in the classroom. Administrators, coaches and faculty at our member institutions should be commended for their efforts in recruiting and mentoring these young men and women.”
    On a national scope, Truman ranks seventh among all schools nationwide in CoSIDA Academic All-America placement, while Pittsburg State ranks eighth on the elite list.
    The University of Notre Dame leads all schools with 68 CoSIDA Academic All-America winners in the 2000s, while the University of Nebraska is second with 67 honorees and Emory University, a Division III institution in Atlanta, is third with 64 selections. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is fourth with 50 honorees, while The Pennsylvania State University is fifth with 46 winners.
    Pittsburg State led all Division II schools in CoSIDA Academic All-America placement in the 1990s with 39 honorees and now has produced 79 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans in the past 17 years, averaging nearly five honorees per year.

Pitt State Football Program Leads Division II Ranks
    Additionally, the Pittsburg State football program has produced 11 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans during the past seven years – tops among Division II programs and third overall in the 2000s.
    The University of Dayton leads the football list with 13 honorees, one ahead of Pitt State. St. Thomas (Minn.) University (10) ranks third, while Nebraska (9), Rensselaer Poly Tech (9) and Wartburg University (9) round out the top five football programs.
    “We’re tremendously proud of our continued success in CoSIDA Academic All-America selections,” said PSU athletic director and head football coach Chuck Broyles. “These honors really don’t happen by chance. I believe our student-athletes, our faculty & administration, along with our coaching staff, at PSU can all take a great deal of pride in this continued accomplishment.
    “This honor also speaks very highly of the quality of student-athletes across the board in the MIAA. We compete in arguably the premier Division II conference, both athletically and academically.”

    To be eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must first earn first-team All-District honors following a vote of CoSIDA members in each district.
    To qualify for nomination to the all-district ballot, a student-athlete must have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or better, have attended the school at least two terms, be at least a sophomore in athletic eligibility and be a starter or key reserve in their respective sport.
    Four of PSU’s CoSIDA Academic All-America honorees have been additionally honored as the CoSIDA Academic All-America® of the Year for their respective sport: Christie Allen, track & field, 1993; Eric Miller, baseball, 1994; Jenny Pracht, women’s basketball, 1996; Ryan Meredith, football, 2006.
    As of the Spring 2007 semester, 44 percent of Pittsburg State’s more than 300 student-athletes have 3.0, or higher, cumulative GPAs. PSU’s student-athletes sport a combined cumulative GPA of 3.088.