Eastern Michigan Athletics
Five Eagles Earn CSC Academic All-District
12/19/2023 10:28:00 PM | Football
Douglas, Evans, Getzinger, Kingston, and Knue all honored
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Five members of the Eastern Michigan University football program have been named as 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees, the CSC announced today, Dec. 19.
The Eagles earning the academic accolade include Dimitri Douglas (Saline, Mich./Saline/Michigan State), Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge/Iowa), Jere Getzinger (West Branch, Mich./Ogemaw Heights), Ryan Kingston (South Bend, Ind./Riley), and Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio/Mason). Overall, both Evans and Knue are repeat honorees after garnering selections in 2022 while Douglas, Getzinger, and Kingston each were honored for the first time.
All five Eagles were honored after appearing in at least 90-percent of the team's games or served as a starter in at least 66-percent of those games while also carrying a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better. CSC, formerly the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), made changes to the national program last 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.
Douglas has been a staple on the offensive line this season as he has appeared in all 12 games while earning a starting position five times. Playing center, Douglas was on the field for a career-high 208 snaps, including a career-best 45 snaps in the season-opening win over Howard University, Sept. 1.
Evans has pieced together a solid career for the Eagles, closing out the 2023 regular season with 2,319 career yards and 41 touchdowns scored in 40 career games. The running back, who tallied 635 yards on the ground in 2023, scored 12 running touchdowns this season, marking the third consecutive season has recorded double-digit scores to become the first EMU player to accomplish the feat. Additionally, his 41 scores are the second-most rushing touchdowns amongst all active FBS players while also ranking fourth among all active FBS players for total touchdowns scored.
Getzinger has posted career-high numbers in every category this season as he has grabbed 15 passes for 79 yards and his first collegiate score after pulling in just four passes and 52 yards in his previous three years with the Eagles. After recording a career-best four grabs in the opener against Howard (27 yards), he recorded at least one reception in eight of the final 11 games, including multiple catches in three games. His touchdown came at home, Nov. 14, against the University of Akron as Austin Smith found him in the back of the end zone for the winning strike in double overtime.
Kingston has been the team's primary kickoff specialist, booting the ball 34 times with six touchbacks in 11 games played. He added his first career fumble recovery as well when the Eagles played at the University at Buffalo, Nov. 21, as one of his kickoffs was fumbled and Kingston grabbed the loose ball for EMU's third fumble recovery in the game.
Knue is in his sixth season with the Eagles, Knue took the reins as the team's number one receiving threat. The wideout's second-team selection from the MAC marked the second all-conference honor in his career, as he was selected to the third team last season. Knue paced the Eagles in every receiving stat throughout the 2023 season, totaling 50 receptions for 479 yards and three touchdowns. The receiver's 50 receptions go down as the most in his collegiate football career, and rank as the fifth most regular season catches in the MAC. Meanwhile, his 479 receiving yards are the second most in his career, ranking 13th in the conference. Moreover, Knue's consistency shined throughout the season as he currently has a streak of at least one reception in 35 consecutive games, the 17th-best figure in the nation. As it currently stands, Knue has compiled 154 receptions and 1,866 yards, and 17 touchdowns in his EMU career, ranking sixth, eighth, and third all-time, respectively in the EMU football record book.
Eastern is set to play in the 68 Ventures Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 23, when it takes on the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala., in the program's seventh all-time bowl appearance and third in a row. EMU is tied with Toledo and Ohio for the most bowl appearances at six in the MAC since 2016 and will look to make history as a win over the Jaguars would give the Eagles back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in program history.
2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District
Dimitri Douglas
Samson Evans
Jere Getzinger
Ryan Kingston
Tanner Knue
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Five members of the Eastern Michigan University football program have been named as 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honorees, the CSC announced today, Dec. 19.
The Eagles earning the academic accolade include Dimitri Douglas (Saline, Mich./Saline/Michigan State), Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge/Iowa), Jere Getzinger (West Branch, Mich./Ogemaw Heights), Ryan Kingston (South Bend, Ind./Riley), and Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio/Mason). Overall, both Evans and Knue are repeat honorees after garnering selections in 2022 while Douglas, Getzinger, and Kingston each were honored for the first time.
All five Eagles were honored after appearing in at least 90-percent of the team's games or served as a starter in at least 66-percent of those games while also carrying a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better. CSC, formerly the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), made changes to the national program last 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.
Douglas has been a staple on the offensive line this season as he has appeared in all 12 games while earning a starting position five times. Playing center, Douglas was on the field for a career-high 208 snaps, including a career-best 45 snaps in the season-opening win over Howard University, Sept. 1.
Evans has pieced together a solid career for the Eagles, closing out the 2023 regular season with 2,319 career yards and 41 touchdowns scored in 40 career games. The running back, who tallied 635 yards on the ground in 2023, scored 12 running touchdowns this season, marking the third consecutive season has recorded double-digit scores to become the first EMU player to accomplish the feat. Additionally, his 41 scores are the second-most rushing touchdowns amongst all active FBS players while also ranking fourth among all active FBS players for total touchdowns scored.
Getzinger has posted career-high numbers in every category this season as he has grabbed 15 passes for 79 yards and his first collegiate score after pulling in just four passes and 52 yards in his previous three years with the Eagles. After recording a career-best four grabs in the opener against Howard (27 yards), he recorded at least one reception in eight of the final 11 games, including multiple catches in three games. His touchdown came at home, Nov. 14, against the University of Akron as Austin Smith found him in the back of the end zone for the winning strike in double overtime.
Kingston has been the team's primary kickoff specialist, booting the ball 34 times with six touchbacks in 11 games played. He added his first career fumble recovery as well when the Eagles played at the University at Buffalo, Nov. 21, as one of his kickoffs was fumbled and Kingston grabbed the loose ball for EMU's third fumble recovery in the game.
Knue is in his sixth season with the Eagles, Knue took the reins as the team's number one receiving threat. The wideout's second-team selection from the MAC marked the second all-conference honor in his career, as he was selected to the third team last season. Knue paced the Eagles in every receiving stat throughout the 2023 season, totaling 50 receptions for 479 yards and three touchdowns. The receiver's 50 receptions go down as the most in his collegiate football career, and rank as the fifth most regular season catches in the MAC. Meanwhile, his 479 receiving yards are the second most in his career, ranking 13th in the conference. Moreover, Knue's consistency shined throughout the season as he currently has a streak of at least one reception in 35 consecutive games, the 17th-best figure in the nation. As it currently stands, Knue has compiled 154 receptions and 1,866 yards, and 17 touchdowns in his EMU career, ranking sixth, eighth, and third all-time, respectively in the EMU football record book.
Eastern is set to play in the 68 Ventures Bowl, Saturday, Dec. 23, when it takes on the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Ala., in the program's seventh all-time bowl appearance and third in a row. EMU is tied with Toledo and Ohio for the most bowl appearances at six in the MAC since 2016 and will look to make history as a win over the Jaguars would give the Eagles back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in program history.
2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District
Dimitri Douglas
Samson Evans
Jere Getzinger
Ryan Kingston
Tanner Knue
Players Mentioned
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