UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Saginaw Valley State University graduate student Grant Caserta (Holland, Mich./West Ottawa HS) and senior Zach Cecich (Crown Point, Ind.) were named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced today (Nov. 8).
Caserta and Cecich were selected through voting conducted by CoSIDA members in their district. Saginaw Valley's district includes colleges and universities in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado. To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average, have attained sophomore academic and athletic standing, be a varsity starter or key reserve and be nominated by the sports information director.
Both Caserta and Cecich advance to the Capital One Academic All-America national ballot where first- and second-team honorees will be decided later this month.
Caserta graduated from the College of Business in four years in May 2012 with a degree in General Business and earned a cumulative GPA of 3.81. He is currently enrolled in the graduate studies program. Caserta has started all ten games this year at linebacker for the Cardinals. He has helped Saginaw Valley hold opponents to 23.0 points per game and accumulated a team-high 102 tackles this season.
Cecich owns a 3.96 GPA as a Business Management major in the College of Business and will graduate this December after four and a half years. He was also named to the Capital One Academic All-District IV Second Team in 2010. Arguably one of the best all-around athletes on the SVSU team, Cecich has started all 11 games this season, including two starts at left tackle. He has caught nine passes for 116 yards and a touchdown.
The Academic All-District ® teams for Division II include the student-athletes that are divided into four geographic districts across the United States based on NCAA Super Regions. This is the first year of the expanded Academic All-America® program as CoSIDA moves from recognizing a University Division (Division I) and a College Division (all non Division I) and doubles the number of scholar-athletes honored. The teams include NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III participants, while the College Division team combines NAIA, Canadian and two-year schools.
The Capital One Division II and III Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures, to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2011-12 DII and DIII Academic All-America® teams program.