Illinois State senior linebacker Adam Waugh was one of the 43 winners of the Fourth Annual Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team voted by the Division I-AA Athletics Directors Association (DI-AA ADA).
The winners were chosen from 141 nominees and were announced at the Division I-AA football championship in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
"As we enter the fourth year of this recognition program, we are proud to honor the 43 young men who are joining the previous 120 student-athletes to receive this award," said John Johnson, chair of the Division I-AA ADA Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and athletics director at Weber State. "They represent the best in terms of academic and athletics excellence in Division I-AA football."
The Libertyville, Ill., native started in every game of his collegiate career and carried a 4.0 grade point average in Political Science. He has been recognized as a Bone Scholar, the highest academic honor at Illinois State, and was one of 16 members selected to the 2001 class of National College Scholar-Athletes. He has also been on the Deans list at Illinois State and is a member of the Red Tassel Mortar Board honorary and Golden Key.
The 2000 and 2001 Illinois State Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year ranked second on the team this season with 83 tackles. Waugh finished with 320 tackles for his career, which ranks eighth all time, and he became the ninth Redbird in the history of the program to post 300 or more career stops.
Football players from all Division I-AA institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the 141 nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. He must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.
