FRISCO, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word football team had five members chosen for the Southland Conference all-academic team on Friday, the league announced.

All 11 Southland football member institutions are represented on the all-academic teams with Central Arkansas and UIW both recording a conference-best five members.  Sam Houston State had four selections while Nicholls, Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin each had two members.  Abilene Christian, Houston Baptist, Lamar and McNeese State had one representative apiece.

There were 13 automatic selections on the Southland all-academic team.  To be an automatic selection, a student-athlete must be a first team All-Southland Conference honoree, a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection or named to the FCS Athletic Directors Association Academic All-Star Team.

The Cardinals had three players earn automatic selections to the all-academic team, linebacker Padyn Giebler (Ivan/Stephenville HS), defensive back Daryl Irby (Pearland/Dawson HS) and tight end Cole Wick (Hallettsville/Sacred Heart Catholic HS).  Quarterback Trent Brittain (Eastland/Eastland HS) and defensive end Alex Jenkins (Bath, Eng./St. Gregory's) were each voted onto the all-academic team.

Giebler is a two-time all-academic team selection.  In addition to being a CoSIDA Academic All-District VI selection, he is a first team Academic All-American® and an FCS ADA Academic All-Star.  He finished third on the team with 71 tackles while contributing 4.0 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and a fumble return for a touchdown.

Irby was limited to seven games due to an injury, but he had 25 tackles and two fumble recoveries en route to his second straight all-academic team selection.  He was an Academic All-District VII first team pick as well.  Wick was the final automatic selection after earning first team all-conference honors.  He recorded 30 receptions for 364 yards and two touchdowns.

Brittain led the conference with 2,254 passing yards and 2,661 yards of total offense.  He was 183-of-352 passing with nine touchdowns.  Jenkins finished the season with 32 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

The Southland Conference awards committee, which consists of one administrator from each of the 13 member universities, voted for the student-athlete of the year. The Southland student-athlete of the year award is presented to the one student-athlete who achieves excellence in both academics and athletics. All nominees shall have earned at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and demonstrated athletics achievement for at least two years at the nominating institution.  Abilene Christian's Sam Denmark was the student-athlete of the year. 

The All-Academic teams are voted on by the head coaches, sports information directors and academic advisors from each Southland Conference university. Student-athletes must possess a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution and participated in at least 50 percent of the team's competition to qualify for the all-academic squad.
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