CLEVELAND -- The 55 winners of the 12th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team were announced by the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA), today. There were 86 total nominees and seven from the MVFC made the team.

DL Daniel Millington, INS, 3.41
DB Kyle Belmont, NDSU, 3.70
QB Nick Mertens, NDSU, 3.79
DB Conrad Kjerstad, SDSU, 3.93
TE Ryan Kernes, SIU, 4.00
LB Ryan Patton, SIU, 4.00
LB Josh Mahoney, UNI, 4.00

The complete 55-player team is attached at the bottom as a PDF.

Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. He must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position.

Additionally, from the Academic All-Star team, six finalists were selected for the Ninth Annual FCS ADA's $5,000 postgraduate scholarship. Two student-athletes will receive postgraduate scholarships during the Association's annual membership meeting held in conjunction with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention, being held at the Marriott Hotel in Anaheim, Calif., June 22-25, 2010.

The finalists are Josh Cain, Jacksonville State University, defensive back, 3.89; Beau Hadley, Weber State University, defensive back, 4.00; Brandon Hellevang, University of North Dakota, kicker/punter, 4.00; Josh Mahoney, University of Northern Iowa, linebacker, 4.00; Andrew Miller, University of North Dakota, linebacker, 4.00; and Chris Rocco, Liberty University, defensive back, 3.98.

A special Review Committee of Football Championship Subdivision athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were Greg Burke, Northwestern State; Peter Fields, Montana State (chair); Brian Hutchinson, Morehead State; Marilyn McNeil, Monmouth; Ron Strollo, Youngstown State; Jeff Tingey, Idaho State; and Tim Van Alstine, Western Illinois.

About the FCS ADA: Now in its 17th year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association's mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit www.fcsada.com.  The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 45th year. For more information on NACDA and the 11 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.