ST. LOUIS – Senior defensive tackle Collin Keoshian highlighted four Illinois State football standouts recognized for their achievements in the classroom and on the field Wednesday, when the Missouri Valley Football Conference announced its annual All-Academic Team.
Keoshian was named a second-team selection and was joined on the list by teammates Chris Highland, Mike Banks and Mark Spelman, who each were named honorable-mention selections. The Redbirds were among 40 student-athletes honored on the all-academic teams.
A 2014 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District V team selection, Keoshian has played in all 11 games at defensive tackle for the Redbirds, after converting from running back during fall camp. The Santa Clarita, California, native leads the team and ranked eighth in the MVFC with seven sacks and has added eight tackles for loss in 2014. Keoshian is also sixth on the team with 50 total tackles, 22 of which were solo stops, and has added two pass breakups and a pair of blocked kicks. He maintains a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) in university studies at Illinois State
Highland was named an All-MVFC First Team selection at long snapper and picked up all-academic honors as well, thanks to his 3.60 GPA in broadcast journalism. The Normal, Illinois, native is the team's primary long and short snapper and was a selected as a team captain by his teammates for the 2014 season. Highland has not been credited with a bad snap in the past three seasons and was a pre-season All-America selection by The Sports Network.
Banks has started every game of his career at Illinois State (46) and was named an All-MVFC Second-Team selection for his performance during the 2014 season. A health education major with a 3.39 GPA, Banks leads the team with 13 pass break ups and ranked second in the MVFC with 14 passes defended. The University Park, Illinois, native ranks third on the team in tackles with 65 and leads the team with 46 solo stops, while adding one interception and a recovered a fumble.
Spelman, a redshirt sophomore, is the only non-senior among the Redbird honorees and maintains a 3.73 GPA in accounting at Illinois State. The Waukesha, Wisconsin, native has started all 11 games at center for the Redbirds and is a key member of the offensive line unit that led the way for running back Marshaun Coprich, who led the MVFC in rushing yards (1,683), touchdowns (21) and yards per game (153.0) and rushed for over 100 yards in every game of the season.
Nominees must be starters or important reserves with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (4.0 scale). Student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic and athletic standing at their institutions (freshmen are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at their institution. League sports information directors voted on the team by designating 11 players for first-team honors and 11 players for second-team honors.
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