AUSTIN, Texas --- Tusculum College student-athletes Evan Altizer and Hunter Cantrell have been named to the 2016 NCAA Division II Academic All-District first team which is selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Altizer, a junior wide receiver from Weddington, North Carolina, has a 3.76 cumulative grade point average while majoring in English. He leads the team with his 203 receiving yards and two touchdown catches, while his 12 receptions are second on the squad. He also leads the team in punt returns, averaging 8.88 yards per return which is third in the South Atlantic Conference.
During his 30-game career at Tusculum, Altizer has accounted for 754 receiving yards on just 32 receptions for a 23.6 yards per game average, which is on pace for a new school record. His 55 career punt returns are the second most by a Pioneer while his 433 return yards are third in the TC record book, while averaging 7.87 yards per punt return (7th in TC history).
Altizer is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor, Dean's List and the Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.
Cantrell, a junior punter from Sparta, Tennessee, has a 3.37 GPA and is majoring in environmental science. Cantrell is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the TC Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
He is averaging 41.18 yards per punt this season, which is the third-best average in the conference and 19th in the nation (NCAA II). His season average this year is currently the seventh-best in program history. He has posted 11 punts inside the 20-yard line, along with 11 fair catches and seven touchbacks.
Cantrell has been Tusculum's starting punter the last three years where he has recorded 6,656 punting yards on 173 punts, which are both the second most in school history. His 38.47 career punting average is sixth in the TC record book.
Altizer and Cantrell advance to the Academic All-America® national ballot with the winners being announced on Nov. 30.
Members of the CoSIDA NCAA II Academic All-District 2 Team are selected from nominees representing all colleges and universities in the South Atlantic Conference, Gulf South Conference and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as well as independent members in Super Region 2.
The Pioneers (2-7, 1-4 SAC) return to action on Saturday as they travel to Salisbury, North Carolina to face defending league champion Catawba (4-5, 4-1 SAC) for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
CoSIDA NCAA Division II Academic All-District 2 (Super Region 2) Team
First Team
QB – Kaleb Nobles, West Florida
WR – Evan Altizer, Tusculum
WR – Holden Beemiller, Newberry
TE – Kooper Davis, Carson-Newman
RB – Jared Dillingham, Carson-Newman
RB – Colt Freeman, Mississippi College
OL – Dan Gallman, Carson-Newman
OL – Lawrence Guyot, Mississippi College
OL – Sam Hall, Newberry
OL – Cory Sanicky, Florida Tech
OL – Jacob Slagle, Lenoir-Rhyne
PK – Kyle Gullikson, Florida Tech
DB – Manny Abad, Florida Tech
DB – Chris Manning, Mississippi College
DB – Carl Mattox, Mars Hill
LB – Reggie Barnes, West Florida
LB – Zack Singleton, Wingate
LB – Chris Stapleton, Florida Tech
DL – Phalen Booker, Carson-Newman
DL – Chris Boykins, Wingate
DL – John Williamson, West Florida
P – Hunter Cantrell, Tusculum