CLEVELAND - Mitch Allen, a quarterback from Wofford College, and Ben Boothby, a tackle from the University of Northern Iowa, have been chosen as the recipients of the 11th Annual Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Scholar-Athletes of the Year.

Each will receive a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship. The duo was selected from a group of twelve finalists. They will receive their awards during the Association's annual membership meeting being held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, being held at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas, Texas, June 25-28.

Mitch Allen, from Cincinnati, Ohio, started all 12 games at quarterback for the Terriers this season. He was third on the team in rushing with 856 yards and ten touchdowns and added 728 passing yards with four touchdowns. Allen was seventh in the Southern Conference in total offense and eighth in scoring. A physics major, with minors in mathematics and computer science, he led the Terriers to the FCS playoffs in 2010 and 2011.

Allen was named to the FCS ADA All-Star team and the Southern Conference (SoCon) Fall All-Academic Team three straight years, earned the team's award for highest GPA twice and was on the SoCon Academic Honor Roll each year, along with being selected to Phi Beta Kappa. He is currently working for General Electric and plans to earn his MBA.

"Each year, the FCS ADA is proud to honor its deserving student-athletes with the Academic All-Star team in early January. The selection of the Postgraduate Scholarship recipients marks the culmination of our annual process and we want to congratulate both Mitch and Ben on receiving this year's Scholarships," said FCS ADA President Marilyn McNeil, chair of the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and vice-president/director of athletics at Monmouth University. "Each year, the committee is tasked with selecting two individuals from a plethora of deserving scholar-athletes, which is a reflection of the importance of academic success within Division I FCS institutions."

Boothby, who plans on attending medical school, received his undergraduate degree in kinesiology in May 2011. On the field, Boothby started all 12 games and led UNI with 7.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Overall, he had 75 tackles, recovered a fumble and helped UNI's defense hold opponents to just 16.6 points per game, which ranked fourth overall in the FCS. His 16 tackles for loss led the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC). Boothby is a two-time first-team All-MVFC recipient, two-time first-team MVGC All-Academic selection and a second-team Capital One Academic All-America pick. 

There were a total of 58 FCS players selected to the Academic All-Star Team in January.  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. They must have reached their 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. They must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.

A special Review Committee of Football Championship Subdivision athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were Marilyn McNeil, Monmouth (chair); Greg Burke, Northwestern State; Charlie Cobb, Appalachian State; Brian Hutchinson, Morehead State; Ron Strollo, Youngstown State; and Jeff Tingey, Idaho State.