Eastern Michigan Athletics
Football Places Eight on CSC Academic All-District Team
11/22/2022 2:00:00 PM | Football
Each student-athlete now eligible for CSC Academic All-America accolades
GREENWOOD, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Eight Eastern Michigan University football student-athletes have been named 2022 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees, the group announced today, Nov. 22. Each of the Eagles' honorees are now eligible for CSC Academic All-America recognition.
The eight Eagles that garnered all-district honors include seniors Brandon Benson (Triangle, Va.-Hylton-Bucknell), Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights), Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge-Iowa), Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio-Mason), and Taylor Powell (Fayetteville, Ark.-Fayetteville-Missouri-Troy) and sophomores Carter Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge), Jesus Gomez (Puebla, Mexico-Prepa Tec Puebla), and Mitchell Tomasek (Columbus, Ohio-Worthington Kilbourne). Seven players earned their first academic award from CSC while Drummond earns the accolade for the second time in his career (2021).
CSC, formerly the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), made changes to the national program this year with the minimum grade-point average rising from 3.00 to 3.50 and the elimination of all-district voting, meaning the maximum number of qualified players - eight - automatically earn all-district accolades and are advanced to the national ballot for the prestigious CSC Academic All-America honor. The national honor will see voted athletes receive spots on first, second, and third-teams this year.
A mainstay in EMU's defensive secondary, Benson played in 10-plus games in three seasons during his collegiate career. This season, the Triangle, Va. native set EMU career highs in solo tackles (11), assisted tackles (11), total tackles (22), TFL (2.0), and forced fumbles (1).
A 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and a three-time Academic All-Mid-American Conference selection, Drummond is one of the most reliable pass catchers in the nation. He currently ranks 25th among all active NCAA players with 176 receptions in his career. Additionally, the wideout is just 117 receiving yards shy of becoming a 2,000-yard receiver for the Green and White in his career.
S. Evans had a Mid-American Conference Player of the Year-caliber season for the Green & White, totaling 26 rushing touchdowns on the year just one shy of breaking EMU's program record. Additionally, Evans is on pace to become EMU's all-time leader in scoring (31 would tie record). The running back was also given perhaps the most prestigious award a player can get in the backfield as Evans was named the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week, Sept. 20 after a 258-yard day at Arizona State. With the performance that weekend, Evans helped EMU upset ASU on the road for the MAC's first-ever regular season win over a PAC-12 program. The 2021 Academic All-MAC selection is on pace to be EMU's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015 and just the 14th 1,000-yard rusher in school history.
Fellow EMU wideout Knue currently leads the Eagles in receiving yards (466), receiving touchdowns (6) and receiving yards per game (51.78). A two-time Academic All-MAC selection (2020-21), Knue ranks 19th in program history with 1,221 career receiving yards and is tied for eighth in Eastern's annals with 11 career receiving touchdowns.
Graduate quarterback Powell has tallied his second-consecutive 1,000-yard passing season and first in an Eastern Michigan uniform in 2022. The Fayetteville, Ark. native was named a "Manning Award Star of the Week" sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Nov. 21, for the first time in his career for his performance in EMU's 31-24 victory over Kent State University, Nov. 16. Powell currently ranks third in the MAC in completion percentage (65.0%).
In 2022, C. Evans set a new career-high in tackles on the season with 13 and has played in a career-high six games thus far this season. Furthermore, C. Evans totaled a career-best four tackles versus the University at Buffalo, Sept. 24.
Gomez has been perfect this season on extra-point attempts this season, making 34 in as many attempts. The Puebla, Mexico native ranks 30th in the nation with a 0.846 field goal percentage at the time of nominations (11-for-13) and ranks eighth in the MAC in scoring (67 points). Furthermore, Gomez Tied the Eastern Michigan record for longest field goal by drilling a 55-yard attempt at Ball State, Oct. 22. Gomez also drilled three field goals against Arizona State, helping the Eagles upset the Sun Devils for the MAC's first-ever regular-season win over a PAC-12 opponent.
A four-time MAC Player of the Week honoree and the first player to win the award four times in a season since 2018, Tomasek leads the MAC and ranks 16th in the nation with a 45.3 yards per punt average. A two-time "Ray's 8," national punter of the week nominee, Tomasek has 10 kicks of 50+ yards this season (second in the MAC) and has pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 11 times this season.
The CSC Academic All-America honors will be announced in December.
Eastern Michigan will close its 2022 regular season with a home game against in-state rival, Central Michigan University Friday, Nov. 25, at noon. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, as well as on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app.
The Eagles are set to play in a postseason bowl game once again in 2022, the MAC-leading fifth appearance in a bowl game since 2016. Interested in cheering on the Eagles? Click here to fill out this year's bowl interest form.
The eight Eagles that garnered all-district honors include seniors Brandon Benson (Triangle, Va.-Hylton-Bucknell), Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights), Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge-Iowa), Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio-Mason), and Taylor Powell (Fayetteville, Ark.-Fayetteville-Missouri-Troy) and sophomores Carter Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge), Jesus Gomez (Puebla, Mexico-Prepa Tec Puebla), and Mitchell Tomasek (Columbus, Ohio-Worthington Kilbourne). Seven players earned their first academic award from CSC while Drummond earns the accolade for the second time in his career (2021).
CSC, formerly the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), made changes to the national program this year with the minimum grade-point average rising from 3.00 to 3.50 and the elimination of all-district voting, meaning the maximum number of qualified players - eight - automatically earn all-district accolades and are advanced to the national ballot for the prestigious CSC Academic All-America honor. The national honor will see voted athletes receive spots on first, second, and third-teams this year.
A mainstay in EMU's defensive secondary, Benson played in 10-plus games in three seasons during his collegiate career. This season, the Triangle, Va. native set EMU career highs in solo tackles (11), assisted tackles (11), total tackles (22), TFL (2.0), and forced fumbles (1).
A 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-District honoree and a three-time Academic All-Mid-American Conference selection, Drummond is one of the most reliable pass catchers in the nation. He currently ranks 25th among all active NCAA players with 176 receptions in his career. Additionally, the wideout is just 117 receiving yards shy of becoming a 2,000-yard receiver for the Green and White in his career.
S. Evans had a Mid-American Conference Player of the Year-caliber season for the Green & White, totaling 26 rushing touchdowns on the year just one shy of breaking EMU's program record. Additionally, Evans is on pace to become EMU's all-time leader in scoring (31 would tie record). The running back was also given perhaps the most prestigious award a player can get in the backfield as Evans was named the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week, Sept. 20 after a 258-yard day at Arizona State. With the performance that weekend, Evans helped EMU upset ASU on the road for the MAC's first-ever regular season win over a PAC-12 program. The 2021 Academic All-MAC selection is on pace to be EMU's first 1,000-yard rusher since 2015 and just the 14th 1,000-yard rusher in school history.
Fellow EMU wideout Knue currently leads the Eagles in receiving yards (466), receiving touchdowns (6) and receiving yards per game (51.78). A two-time Academic All-MAC selection (2020-21), Knue ranks 19th in program history with 1,221 career receiving yards and is tied for eighth in Eastern's annals with 11 career receiving touchdowns.
Graduate quarterback Powell has tallied his second-consecutive 1,000-yard passing season and first in an Eastern Michigan uniform in 2022. The Fayetteville, Ark. native was named a "Manning Award Star of the Week" sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, Nov. 21, for the first time in his career for his performance in EMU's 31-24 victory over Kent State University, Nov. 16. Powell currently ranks third in the MAC in completion percentage (65.0%).
In 2022, C. Evans set a new career-high in tackles on the season with 13 and has played in a career-high six games thus far this season. Furthermore, C. Evans totaled a career-best four tackles versus the University at Buffalo, Sept. 24.
Gomez has been perfect this season on extra-point attempts this season, making 34 in as many attempts. The Puebla, Mexico native ranks 30th in the nation with a 0.846 field goal percentage at the time of nominations (11-for-13) and ranks eighth in the MAC in scoring (67 points). Furthermore, Gomez Tied the Eastern Michigan record for longest field goal by drilling a 55-yard attempt at Ball State, Oct. 22. Gomez also drilled three field goals against Arizona State, helping the Eagles upset the Sun Devils for the MAC's first-ever regular-season win over a PAC-12 opponent.
A four-time MAC Player of the Week honoree and the first player to win the award four times in a season since 2018, Tomasek leads the MAC and ranks 16th in the nation with a 45.3 yards per punt average. A two-time "Ray's 8," national punter of the week nominee, Tomasek has 10 kicks of 50+ yards this season (second in the MAC) and has pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 11 times this season.
The CSC Academic All-America honors will be announced in December.
Eastern Michigan will close its 2022 regular season with a home game against in-state rival, Central Michigan University Friday, Nov. 25, at noon. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, as well as on WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Network app.
The Eagles are set to play in a postseason bowl game once again in 2022, the MAC-leading fifth appearance in a bowl game since 2016. Interested in cheering on the Eagles? Click here to fill out this year's bowl interest form.
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