Forty men received Academic All-America At-Large acclaim across Division I, II, III and the college division ranks.
There were 12 Division I selections, 10 from Division II, 14 from Division III and four from the college division ranks.
Michigan’s PJ Ransford was named as the men’s at-large Academic All-American of the Year
Ransford is a three-time Academic All-America® honoree, having earned first-team accolades the past two years. He is also a two-time NCAA Elite 90 Award recipient, a three-time College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) All-American and three-time CSCAA honorable mention All-American, and the 2016 Big Ten Conference champion in the 1,650-yard freestyle. He is a member of the 2017-18 U.S. National Team. Last month, he was chosen as one of University of Michigan’s recipients of the Big Ten Medal of Honor, as well as the Big Ten Postgraduate Scholarship. He graduated from Michigan in December with his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, having compiled a perfect 4.00 GPA.
In the Division I ranks, Ransford along with NC State’s Anton Ipsen and Alabama’s Luke Kaliszak earned first team honors for the second straight year, while Purdue’s Marat Amaltdinov received third team honors this year after earning second team accolades in 2017.
In the Division II ranks, Missouri S&T’s Stuart Mossop received first team honors in 2018 after garnering third team accolades last year.
Among the Division III honorees, four are repeat Academic All-Americans. Caltech’s Alex Bourzutchschy earned his second honor of the year as a first teamer following cross country/track and field second team accolades.
Denison’s Jason Wesseling and Washington & Lee’s Tommy Thetford, both first teamers in 2018, are three-time honorees. Wesseling garnered first team honors in 2018 after being tabbed with second team accolades in both 2016 and 2017. Thetford was a third team selection in both 2016 and 2017.
Worcester Polytechnic’s Jack Bauer moved up to the first team in 2018 after garnering third team honors last year.
Sixty-five men’s swimmers were among the Academic All-District honorees across the divisions.
At-large teams include all sports outside of the eight sports with their own Academic All-America programs (men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball.) The awards recognize the top student-athletes nationally for their combined performances on the field of play and in the classroom.
The All-District teams are divided into eight geographic regions across the United States and Canada and in four divisions (NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III and the College Division).
To be nominated for Academic All-District honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale). Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of team’s contests. No student athlete is eligible until after completing one full calendar year at his/her institution and has reached sophomore athletic eligibility. Graduate students competing a different institution than their undergraduate school are eligible their first semester at the new institution.
Student-athletes must be named to the Academic All-District teams to be eligible for Academic All-America honors.
Men’s Division I
Men’s First Team
Laurent Bams, Alabama
Robert Howard, Alabama
Anton Ipsen, North Carolina State
Luke Kaliszak, Alabama
Riley League, Davidson
PJ Ransford, Michigan
Second Team
Chris Cole, Southern Illinois
Caeleb Dressel, Florida
Andreas Vazaios, North Carolina State
Third Team
Marat Amaltdinov, Purdue
Pawel Furtek, USC
Mitchell Petras, LSU
Division II
First Team
Andrea Bazzoli, Drury
Stuart Mossop, Missouri S&T
Thomas Steenberg, Florida Tech
Bernardo Valentim, Cal Baptist
Giacomo Viazzo, Wingate
Justin Winnett, Lindenwood
Second Team
Noah McRea, Lenoi-Rhyne
Tim Samuelsen, Missouri S&T
Jonathan Stewart, Oklahoma Baptist
Third Team
Rodrigo Codo Berti, UIndy
Austin Hussain, Fresno Pacific
Niklas Martin, Wingate
Division III
First Team
Jack Bauer, Worcester Polytechnic
Alex Bourzutcschky, Caltech
Ben Burdick, Denison
Bouke Edskes, MIT
Drew Hamilton, Case Western Reserve
Samuel Solomon, MIT
Tommy Thetford, Washington & Lee
Jason Wesseling, Denison
Second Team
Benjamin Ertman, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Mark Hallman, Pomona-Pitzer
Emile Kuyl, Johns Hopkins
Noah Martin, Centre College
Third Team
Carter Lyons, Nebraska Wesleyan
College Division
First Team
Wyatt Engler, Keiser,
Guilherme Magnoler, Olivet Nazarene
Second Team
Joshua Bouma, Olivet Nazarene
Josh Zakala, Victoria
Wow 5 from the South in DI versus 1 Yankee…
How many of them are going to transfer?
Unlike the other Academic All-America teams which represent a single sport, the at-large program spans several men’s and women’s sports. The women’s at-large team includes beach volleyball, bowling, rowing, field hockey, fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis and water polo, while the men include fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming and diving, tennis, water polo, volleyball and wrestling.
can you explain the criteria? seems like such a small group (esp D1).
See above for the requirements for both the at-large teams as well as Academic All-District nomination.