GREENWOOD, Ind. – Nine Southern Conference football student-athletes representing five different schools earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District honors, the organization announced Thursday.

All nine advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, with first- and second-team Academic All-America honorees to be announced in December

Mercer led the way with four players honored, as running back Tee Mitchell, offensive lineman Thomas Marchman, offensive lineman Caleb Yates and defensive lineman Dorian Kithcart earned spots on the District 4 squad. The Bears’ four honorees were the most of any team in the district, which includes all NCAA Division I teams in the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, as well as Puerto Rico. Nationally, Mercer trailed just Boise State, Dayton and South Dakota State, which each had five honorees.

Wofford also had a pair of District 4 honorees in offensive lineman Jared Jacon-Duffy and defensive back Malik Rivera. Furman tight end Andy Schumpert and The Citadel linebacker Myles Pierce also represented the SoCon on the District 4 squad, while Western Carolina linebacker A.J. Newman was a District 3 selection.

To be nominated, 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) at his/her current institution. Nominated athletes must have participated in at least 50 percent of his team’s games at the position listed and must have completed one full calendar year at his current institution and reached sophomore athletic eligibility.

CoSIDA Academic All-District
District 3
A.J. Newman, Western Carolina, Sr., LB

District 4
Tee Mitchell, Mercer, Jr., RB
Andy Schumpert, Furman, Sr., TE
Jared Jacon-Duffy, Wofford, Sr., OL
Thomas Marchman, Mercer, Sr., OL
Caleb Yates, Mercer, Sr., OL
Dorian Kithcart, Mercer, Jr., DL
Myles Pierce, The Citadel, Sr., LB
Malik Rivera, Wofford, Sr., DB