Murray State University Athletics
Racers' Ard Named First-Team Academic All-DistrictChildress, Sanders Earn Second-Team Honors
11/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Murray State football player Justin Ard was selected to the CoSIDA Football Academic All-District IV first team which was announced on Thursday. With the first-team selection, Ard will now qualify for Academic All-America honors.
Ard, a junior offensive lineman from Benton, Ky., was among 24 football players to earn a spot on the District IV first-team, which includes Division I schools in Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.
Teammates Stewart Childress, a senior quarterback from Princeton, Ky., and senior defensive back Bobby Sanders of Benton, Ky., were named to the second-team.
A former all-state player at Marshall County High School, Ard is a chemistry/pre-pharmacy major and carries a 3.71 grade point average. He started the Racers' first eight games this season on the offensive line before suffering an injury prior to the team's Nov. 1 game against Eastern Kentucky.
Childress, a Caldwell County High School graduate, was a four-year starter at quarterback for the Racers prior to suffering a season-ending knee injury this season. He carries a 3.43 GPA in organizational communications.
Sanders, also a Marshall County High School graduate, is a business major with a 3.31 GPA.
To be nominated, student-athletes must be a starter or key reserve and carry a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher. Team members are selected by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) within the district.
Other notable players on the District IV first-team were Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel, Auburn linebacker Dontarrius Thomas and Kentucky placekicker Taylor Begley.
