Nov. 6, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Three Penn State student-athletes have been selected to the Capital One Academic All-District® Football Team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Earning CoSIDA Academic All-District® selection are: defensive end Brad Bars (Nashville), safety Ryan Keiser (Selinsgrove) and kick snapper Tyler Yazijian (Royersford). Bars earns his second Academic All-District® selection, also earning the honor in 2012. All three players will be eligible for consideration for the Academic All-America® Team.
The three selections for Coach James Franklin's Nittany Lions were second-highest among the FBS and FCS institutions in the six states the comprise District II. Penn State led all District II FBS and FCS institutions with nine CoSIDA Academic All-America® nominations.
Penn State football student-athletes have earned 63 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections all-time, the second-highest total among all Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) institutions, trailing only Nebraska. In 2013, All-America guard John Urschel earned his second consecutive first-team Academic All-America® honor.
The Nittany Lions' 18 Academic All-Americans® over the past eight seasons (16 first-team) lead the nation. The Penn State football team has had a least one first-team Academic All-American® in 10 of the past 12 seasons (19 overall first-team selections since 2002).
Since starting Big Ten Conference competition in 1993, the Nittany Lion football team has had 29 Academic All-Americans®, 23 of whom earned first-team honors.
A fifth-year senior, Bars graduated in May, earning his finance degree with a 3.66 grade-point average. He has played in every game this year on defense and special teams after missing the 2013 season due to injury. The former Montgomery Bell Academy standout has made seven tackles this season.
Also a fifth-year senior, Keiser graduated in August, earning his kinesiology degree with a 3.39 GPA. A co-captain, Keiser had started 10 consecutive games and played in 42 of a possible 43 career contests prior to suffering a season-ending injury in practice prior to the Ohio State game. At the time of his injury, the former Selinsgrove High School standout was third on the team with 25 tackles (17 solo), with one interception and two pass break-ups.
A sophomore, Yazujian owns a 3.82 GPA in information sciences and technology. The former Spring-Ford High School standout has handled all the long snaps this season, delivering 81 perfect snaps on PATs, field goals and punts.
Penn State has had 186 Academic All-America® selections all-time among all sports, the third-highest total among Division I institutions, with 40 Academic All-Americans honorees the past six years.
The Capital One Academic All-District® Football Team was selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a scale of 4.00 and have achieved sophomore academic eligibility.
In October, NCAA data revealed that the Penn State Football student-athletes earned an 87 percent Graduation Success Rate, second-highest among Big Ten Conference institutions and tied for No. 13 among the nation's 128 FBS institutions.
Penn State visits Indiana Saturday for a 12 p.m. ET kick in Bloomington. The Big Ten East Division game will air on BTN, the Penn State Sports network (10:30 a.m. airtime) and GoPSUsports.com.
Tickets are available for Penn State's last two home games of the season: Nov. 15 vs. Temple (Military Appreciation Day/Seats For Soldiers) and the Nov. 29 Senior Day clash against No. 7 Michigan State. The kick times for both games are to be determined.
Fans can purchase Penn State tickets at PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office (weekdays, 10 a.m-6 p.m.). The Beaver Stadium ticket office, near Gate E, opens four hours before kickoff for all Penn State home games.
Penn State Football is on Twitter (@PennStateFball) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/PSUFball).