ST. LOUIS -- Thirty-six student-athletes, including 11 who earned first-team honors, highlight the 2013 all-Missouri Valley Football Conference all-academic team, announced by the league office today.

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.

2013 Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Academic Team
(voting by league SIDs)

FIRST TEAM
Student-Athlete, School Ht. Wt. Yr. GPA Major Hometown/High School
OL Corey Boemer, Southern Illinois 6-4 291 Jr. 3.93 Biological Sciences St. Louis (Mo.) Lindbergh High
NG Ryan Drevlow, North Dakota St. 6-4 281 Sr. 3.69 Electrical Engineering Gwinner (N.D.) North Sargent High
LB Jake Farley, UNI 6-2 230 Jr. 3.72 Finance Cedar Falls (Iowa) High / Kansas
QB Kurt Hess, Youngstown State 6-3 230 Sr. 3.43 Early Childhood Education Dayton (Ohio) Chaminade-Julienne
OL Jimmy Holtschlag, W. Illinois 6-5 300 Sr. 3.94 Agricultural Science Quincy (Ill.) Notre Dame High
P Austin Pucylowski, S. Illinois 6-4 245 Sr. 4.00 Biological Sciences New Berlin (Wis.) Catholic Memorial
S Caleb Schaffitzel, Missouri State 6-0 214 Jr. 3.92 Wildlife Conservation & Mgmt Fair Grove (Mo.) High
WR Jason Schneider, S. Dakota St. 6-5 220 Jr. 3.98 Pharmacy Andover (Minn.) High
OL Taylor Suess, South Dakota St. 6-3 295 Sr. 3.96 Mechanical Engineering Columbus (Neb.) Scotus Central Catholic
OLB Tyler Williamson, S. Illinois 6-2 220 Jr. 3.732 Management Knoxville (Tenn.) Catholic High
RB Zach Zenner, South Dakota St. 6-0 200 Jr. 3.85 Biology/Pre-Med Eagan (Minn.) High

SECOND TEAM
DL Collin Albrecht, UNI 6-4 255 Sr. 3.55 Biochemistry Cedar Falls (Iowa) High
DE Kyle Emanuel, N. Dakota St. 6-3 246 Jr. 3.59 Construction Management Schuyler (Neb.) Central High
LB Jordan Gacke, UNI 6-2 227 Sr. 3.47 Criminology Rock Rapids (Iowa) Central Lyon High
FB Andrew Grothmann, NDSU 6-1 232 Sr. 3.58 Agricultural Economics Hillsboro (N.D.) High
DL Chip Holtschlag, Western Illinois 6-2 225 Jr. 3.71 Biology Quincy (Ill.) Notre Dame High
WR Brandon Hubert, S. Dakota St. 5-11 185 Sr. 3.70 Pharmacy Gretna (Neb.) High
DT Danny Luecke, N. Dakota St. 6-5 281 Sr. 3.84 Math Education Fargo (N.D.) Fargo South High
WR Ryan Smith, N. Dakota St. 5-7 175 Sr. 3.57 Business Administration Wahpeton (N.D.) High
TE Matt Swan, Missouri State 6-3 245 Sr. 3.57 Masters in Business Admin. Springfield (Mo.) Glendale High
LB Esley Thorton, North Dakota St. 6-3 226 Jr. 3.89 Exercise Science Bismarck (N.D.) High
QB/WR Josh Vander Maten, USD 6-2 215 Jr. 3.538 Kinesiology & Sports Science Boyden (Iowa) Boyden-Hull High


HONORABLE MENTION

Indiana State: OL FN Lutz; WR Tanner Riley; DB Mark Sewall

Missouri State: LB Andrew Beisel; OL Kurt Kutter; PK Austin Witmer

UNI: OL Jack Rummells

North Dakota State: FS Christian Dudzik; WR Zach Vraa

South Dakota State: LB R.C. Kilgore;P Ethan Sawyer

Southern Illinois: PK Chris Adams

Youngstown State: LB Dom Rich; DT Steve Zaborksy