Eastern Michigan Athletics
MAC Names Two Eagles Distinguished Scholar Athletes
1/29/2021 1:05:00 PM | Men's XC, Football, General
The group is considered the the 'best of the best' from each sport's Academic All-MAC teams
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) -- The Mid-American Conference announced Friday, Jan. 28, its list of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the three fall sports (football, men's/women's cross country) that competed as part of the 2020-21 academic season. Other traditional fall sports that had seasons delayed due to COVID-19 will be included in the MAC's spring honors. Two Eagles were recognized as the 'best of the best' from each sport's Academic All-MAC teams.
The EMU men's cross country team placed a student-athlete on the list, while football also earned a nod for the Green and White. Both student-athletes were named to the list for the first time.
In all, 24 students from around the conference were honored as part of the fall sports group.
For cross country, junior Chris Devaney (New Plymouth, New Zealand-New Plymouth) collected the honor. Devaney is an economics major who has twice achieved Academic All-MAC status after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA for the fall semester. The New Zealand product registered two top-10 finishes this season as he placed fourth and seventh, respectively, at the Falcon Invitational and MAC Championships. Devaney is one of two Eagles to boast Academic All-MAC and First Team honors.
Junior kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) gets the nod for the EMU football team. Ryland, who was awarded a scholarship prior to the start of the season, put up a 3.79 GPA as a supply chain management major. He led the MAC and ranked sixth in field goals per game (1.83) in 2020. He was second in the MAC and 18th nationally in field goal percentage at 84.6 percent (11-of-13). A 2020 Academic All-MAC selection, Ryland ranks third all-time in PATs made (94) and fourth in PATs attempted (98) at EMU.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the fall sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students, junior college transfers, and graduate transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
Enacted in the 2019-20 academic season, the selection for the Distinguished Scholar includes all student-athletes that were recognized as All-MAC selections and Academic All-MAC selections from their respective sport, along with maintaining a 3.50 GPA and above. Previously, a voting process among the MAC Faculty Athletic Representatives determined the selection of the Distinguished Scholar Athletes. MAC membership voted for the change in recognizing the Distinguished Scholar Athletes during the Conference Spring meetings in June of 2019.
The full list of the MAC's fall sport honorees is as follows:
Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Men's Cross Country)
Scott Loforte, Buffalo, Junior, 3.938, Civil Engineering
Armani Merlino, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.932, Computer Science
Adam Rzentkowski, Central Michigan, Sophomore, 3.940, Finance
Chris Devaney, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 4.000, Economics
Anthony Camerieri, Miami, Junior, 3.670, Kinesiology
Sean Torpy, Miami, Senior, 3.920, Kinesiology
Jacob Harris, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.743, Exercise Science
Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Women's Cross Country)
Lindsey Scarton, Akron, Senior, 3.924, Physical Therapy
Kailee Perry, Bowling Green, Redshirt-Freshman, 4.000, Exercise Science
Katerina Shuble, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.000, Architecture
Carmen Riano, Miami, Sophomore, 3.750, Bioengineering
Ashley Tutt, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.819, History
Rebecca McNamee, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.830, Social Work
Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Football)
Curtis Blackwell, Ball State, Senior, 3.695, Business Administration
Anthony Ekpe, Ball State, Grad, 3.556, MBA (grad school)
Drew Plitt, Ball State, R-Senior, 3.567, MBA-Finance (grad school)
Alex McNulty, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.7 GPA, Biology and Physics
Chad Ryland, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.79, Supply Chain Management
Brayden Patton, Northern Illinois, Senior, 4.0, Sport Management (M.S.)
Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.8, Sport Management (M.S.)
Austin Conrad, Ohio, R-Sr., 3.553, Business Analytics
Brett Kitrell, Ohio, Senior, 3.796, Marketing,
Bryce Harris, Toledo, Sr., 3.765, Master's in school counseling
Michael Caliendo, Western Michigan, Sr., 3.92, Biological Sciences (Master's)
The EMU men's cross country team placed a student-athlete on the list, while football also earned a nod for the Green and White. Both student-athletes were named to the list for the first time.
In all, 24 students from around the conference were honored as part of the fall sports group.
For cross country, junior Chris Devaney (New Plymouth, New Zealand-New Plymouth) collected the honor. Devaney is an economics major who has twice achieved Academic All-MAC status after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA for the fall semester. The New Zealand product registered two top-10 finishes this season as he placed fourth and seventh, respectively, at the Falcon Invitational and MAC Championships. Devaney is one of two Eagles to boast Academic All-MAC and First Team honors.
Junior kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) gets the nod for the EMU football team. Ryland, who was awarded a scholarship prior to the start of the season, put up a 3.79 GPA as a supply chain management major. He led the MAC and ranked sixth in field goals per game (1.83) in 2020. He was second in the MAC and 18th nationally in field goal percentage at 84.6 percent (11-of-13). A 2020 Academic All-MAC selection, Ryland ranks third all-time in PATs made (94) and fourth in PATs attempted (98) at EMU.
The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics. Following each season from the fall sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport. Also, first-year students, junior college transfers, and graduate transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.
Enacted in the 2019-20 academic season, the selection for the Distinguished Scholar includes all student-athletes that were recognized as All-MAC selections and Academic All-MAC selections from their respective sport, along with maintaining a 3.50 GPA and above. Previously, a voting process among the MAC Faculty Athletic Representatives determined the selection of the Distinguished Scholar Athletes. MAC membership voted for the change in recognizing the Distinguished Scholar Athletes during the Conference Spring meetings in June of 2019.
The full list of the MAC's fall sport honorees is as follows:
Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Men's Cross Country)
Scott Loforte, Buffalo, Junior, 3.938, Civil Engineering
Armani Merlino, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.932, Computer Science
Adam Rzentkowski, Central Michigan, Sophomore, 3.940, Finance
Chris Devaney, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 4.000, Economics
Anthony Camerieri, Miami, Junior, 3.670, Kinesiology
Sean Torpy, Miami, Senior, 3.920, Kinesiology
Jacob Harris, Toledo, Sophomore, 3.743, Exercise Science
Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Women's Cross Country)
Lindsey Scarton, Akron, Senior, 3.924, Physical Therapy
Kailee Perry, Bowling Green, Redshirt-Freshman, 4.000, Exercise Science
Katerina Shuble, Bowling Green, Junior, 4.000, Architecture
Carmen Riano, Miami, Sophomore, 3.750, Bioengineering
Ashley Tutt, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.819, History
Rebecca McNamee, Western Michigan, Senior, 3.830, Social Work
Distinguished Scholar-Athlete (Football)
Curtis Blackwell, Ball State, Senior, 3.695, Business Administration
Anthony Ekpe, Ball State, Grad, 3.556, MBA (grad school)
Drew Plitt, Ball State, R-Senior, 3.567, MBA-Finance (grad school)
Alex McNulty, Buffalo, Sophomore, 3.7 GPA, Biology and Physics
Chad Ryland, Eastern Michigan, Junior, 3.79, Supply Chain Management
Brayden Patton, Northern Illinois, Senior, 4.0, Sport Management (M.S.)
Kyle Pugh, Northern Illinois, Senior, 3.8, Sport Management (M.S.)
Austin Conrad, Ohio, R-Sr., 3.553, Business Analytics
Brett Kitrell, Ohio, Senior, 3.796, Marketing,
Bryce Harris, Toledo, Sr., 3.765, Master's in school counseling
Michael Caliendo, Western Michigan, Sr., 3.92, Biological Sciences (Master's)
Players Mentioned
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