Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Coda, Pickard named to FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team
01/04/2011 | 12:00:00 | Football
Jan. 4, 2011
By Jason Clay
SIUSalukis.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Two Southern Illinois football players, juniors Chance Coda and David Pickard, have been named to the 13th annual FCS Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Academic All-Star Team that the ADA announced Tuesday.
Coda and Pickard were also both chosen as two of the eight finalists to receive the ADA's 10th annual $5,000 postgraduate scholarship.
Two of the eight finalists will receive postgraduate scholarships during the Association's annual membership meeting held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, being held at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Fla., June 16-18.
"The FCS ADA looks forward to honoring the accomplishments of its football student-athletes each year with the announcement of the Academic All-Star Team," said FCS ADA President Greg Burke, chair of the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and athletics director at Northwestern State University. "The dedication by these young men to perform successfully both on the field of competition and in the classroom epitomizes the definition of a Division I student-athlete."
Coda and Pickard were both selected as ESPN Academic All-Americans back on Nov. 23. They become SIU's fifth and six ADA Academic All-Star Team members in the last five seasons.
Coda, a Grand Rapids, Mich. native, was a Second Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference honoree this year and a First Team ESPN Academic All-American. He carries a perfect 4.0 grade point average in accounting.
Pickard, from Oak Park, Ill., also garnered second team accolades from the MVFC and was on ESPN's Academic All-America second team this year. He carries a 4.0 grade point average, as he is now pursuing his master's degree in public administration.
In all, there were 52 student-athletes selected to the 2010 FCS ADA Academic All-Star team.
Football players from all FCS institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the 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. He must have reached his 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. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.
