Bronco football produces 16 Academic All-MAC selections

Contact: Kristin Keirns
Photo of Bronco football players running onto the field with fans to the side.

Sixteen Broncos were named to the 2017 Football Academic All-MAC team.

KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University had the second-most number of players, or 16 out of a total of 144, named to the 2017 Football Academic All-Mid-American Conference team. Eastern Michigan University had the most players with 18 honorees, and Ohio University was third with 14 recognitions.

All 16 Broncos will now be eligible to be voted as Distinguished Scholar-Athletes by the league's Faculty Athletic Representatives, an award which began in 2015. Distinguished Scholar-Athletes will be announced later this year.

The Academic All-MAC honor is for student-athletes who have excelled in athletics and academics. To earn Academic All-MAC honors, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport. Freshmen and first-year transfer students are not eligible.

2017 Academic All-MAC Football Broncos

  • Lucas Bezerra, a senior from Troy, studying biomedical sciences, 3.73 GPA.
  • Mark Brooks, a redshirt freshman from Portland, studying pre-integrated supply management, 3.66 GPA.
  • Mike Caliendo, a redshirt freshman from Brookfield, Wisconsin, majoring in biomedical sciences, 3.85 GPA.
  • Stefan Claiborne, a sophomore from Clinton Township, studying pre-business, 3.64 GPA.
  • Jaret Curtis, a redshirt freshman from Green Bay, Wisconsin, majoring in political science, 4.00 GPA.
  • Ra'Sean Davie, a redshirt freshman from Indianapolis, Indiana, majoring in pre-entrepreneurship, 3.23 GPA.
  • Mitch Heimbuch, a redshirt freshman from Romeo, studying pre-business, 3.29 GPA.
  • Luke Juriga, a sophomore from Aurora, Illinois, studying pre-manufacturing engineering tech, 3.48 GPA.
  • Spencer Kanz, a redshirt freshman from Luxemburg, Wisconsin, studying pre-finance, 3.89 GPA.
  • John Keenoy, a junior from Kentwood, majoring in finance, 3.77 GPA.
  • Nick Matich, a junior from Clarkson, majoring in sales and business marketing, 3.21 GPA.
  • Odell Miller, a junior from Kalamazoo, majoring in exercise science, 3.58 GPA.
  • Derrick Mitchell, a junior from Paw Paw, majoring in finance, 3.41 GPA.
  • Zach Novoselsky, a junior from Lincolnshire, Illinois, studying management, 3.62 GPA.
  • Giovanni Ricci, a sophomore from Loveland, Ohio, studying pre-business, 3.42 GPA.
  • Jon Wassink, a sophomore from Grand Rapids, studying accountancy, 4.00 GPA.

WMU's Bezerra, Mitchell and Novoselsky were part of a group of 16 student-athletes from the conference that are earning Academic All-MAC status for the third time in their career. Juriga, Keenoy, Miller and Ricci are second-time selections.

Learn more about WMU football at wmubroncos.com.

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