Three football Broncos are Academic All-MAC

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University football student-athletes Ben Armer, John Potter and Mitch Zajac have been named to the Academic All-MAC team by the Mid-American conference.

Armer and Potter become the 11th and 12th football players to be named Academic All-MAC for the third time in their careers, while Zajac is a first-time honoree.

Potter also was named a First Team Academic All-American in 2011.

Ben Armer, an exercise science major with a 3.60 cumulative GPA, achieved a 3.88 GPA this past semester. On the field he had 42 punts for an average of 41.0 yards per punt, seventh best in a season in program history. His career 40.4 average ranks fourth in a career. He has 208 career punts, a total that ranks second only to Jim Klapthor's 225 (1983-86).

John Potter ended his kicking career as the program's all-time leading scorer with 333 points and a program and conference record 129-straight PATs made. His 184 PATs in his career and 57 PATs in 2011 also rank atop the WMU record book. In the classroom, Potter carries a 3.93 GPA in finance. He had a 3.50 GPA this past semester.

Mitch Zajac finished his career with the most tackles of any Bronco over the past two seasons with 189 stops as a junior and senior. He completed his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering with a 3.75 GPA and is now pursing his masters in the same field, carrying a 3.85 GPA this past fall.

Brian Fields and Kirk Nakama received honorable mention for Academic All-MAC in 2011. Fields has a 3.32 cumulative GPA in family studies with a 3.54 this fall, and Nakama carries a 3.25 cumulative GPA in physical education. WMU football had 50 student-athletes with a 3.0 GPA or better during the 2011 season.

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