Three football players named to Academic All-District First Team

Nov. 4, 2010

By Jason Clay
SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - For the third-straight season, three Southern Illinois football players were selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V First Team, as voted upon by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and announced Thursday.

Senior Joe Allaria along with juniors Chance Coda and David Pickard were voted to University Division First Team and now become eligible for the honor of Academic All-American, which will be announced on Nov. 23.

With the selections, Southern Illinois now has 18 First-Team Academic All-District honorees since 2003.

Allaria, a wide receiver from Edwardsville, Ill., carries a 3.753 grade point average in marketing. He is the second-leading receiver in SIU history with 126 career receptions.

This season, Allaria is tied for second in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and 26th in the nation with 5.8 receptions per game. He was a Second Team All-MVFC selection in 2009 after recording 52 catches for 697 yards and four touchdowns. Allaria has been on the MVFC Academic Honor Roll in each of his first three seasons at SIU.

Coda, a defensive end from Grand Rapids, Mich., sports a 4.0 grade point average in accounting. The fourth-year junior leads the team with 3.5 sacks and he is tied for eighth in the Valley with seven tackles for a loss.

Coda, who has started in 33 consecutive games, has recorded at least one tackle for a loss in 7-of-8 games this season. He was named to the MVFC All-Academic Second-Team as a sophomore in 2009.

Pickard, an offensive tackle with a 3.933 G.P.A. in political science, adds to his long list of accolades. The Oak Park, Ill.-native was a Preseason All-American entering this year and was named to The Sports Network All-America third team after his sophomore season in 2009. Pickard was an All-MVFC First Team selection last year and a second team Academic All-Conference honoree.

He earned his bachelor's degree in three years at SIU and started working this fall towards his master's degree in public administration.

To be eligible, student-athletes must have reached sophomore academic standing, been at their school for a full academic year and carry at least a 3.30 G.P.A.