The Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) named its 24th annual Academic All-Star team. No more than two student-athletes from any school are nominated for the prestigious honor.
The Mocs once again claimed two places among the 50 honored nationally. Offensive lineman Cole Strange earned his second nod on the squad while junior defensive back CaMiron Smith got his first. They are two of four in the Southern Conference honored joined by Furman’s Timmy Bleekrode and Hamp Sisson.
Chattanooga and the Paladins join just five other institutions with two members on the squad.
“This is a tremendous point of pride,” Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton shared. “Coming from an organization I am a part of, seeing the well-earned recognition for our student-athletes is exciting. Our hats are off to Cole and CaMiron for their excellent work on and off the field.”
It’s the 16th and 17th such honor in program history. Strange is the fifth Moc to earn it more than once joining luminaries like Joel Bradford (2010-11), Adam Miller (2011-12), Davis Tull (2013-14) and Derrick Craine (2015-16). He and Jerrell Lawson earned it in 2020-21.
Strange and Sisson move on with seven others as finalists for the FCS ADA Postgraduate Scholarship. Two of the nine are awarded $5,000 scholarships towards graduate school studies.
Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institutions are eligible for the award. Requirements:
Minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate or graduate study
Starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials
Reached second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution
Completed minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution
Participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position
Chattanooga on the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team
1998: Brian Hampton
2009: Steven Smigelsky
2010: Joel Bradford
2011: Joel Bradford
2011: Adam Miller
2012: Adam Miller
2013: Davis Tull
2014: Nick Pollard, Davis Tull
2015: Derrick Craine
2016: Derrick Craine, Hunter Townson
2019: Bryce Nunnelly
2020-21: Jerrell Lawson, Cole Strange
2021: CaMiron Smith, Cole Strange