Stearns named to Academic All-District Team

INDIANOLA, Iowa — Simpson defensive tackle Jake Stearns recently earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 8 First Team honors for the 2016 season, an award that recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances both athletically and in the classroom.

CoSIDA Academic All-District Football Teams

Stearns is one of just 29 selected to the District 8 team, which includes student-athletes attending NCAA Division III institutions in 21 states and Canada. As a first team honoree, Stearns will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.

A senior from Knoxville, Iowa, Stearns is the leading tackler among defensive lineman in the Iowa Conference, entering the final game of the season with 70 stops on the year. He is second on the team in tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (3) and was named Iowa Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the period ending Sept. 25 after tying a career-high with 11 tackles in the Storm's win over Buena Vista.

An athletic training major, Stearns boasts a 3.84 cumulative grade point average.

Stearns and the Storm close the 2016 season Saturday, Nov. 12 when they host Coe. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.