Mid States

[Football] Zitkus named to CoSIDA Academic All-District Team

CoSIDA Academic All-District Football TeamsSenior defensive lineman Ryan Zitkus was named to the 2021 Academic All-District Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).The honor recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Nominees must be starters or important reserves, sophomores or older, with at least 3.30 cumulative grade point averages. Zitkus represents District 3, which includes NAIA colleges from Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. He now advances to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Football Team ballot, where first- and second-team All-America honorees will be selected.Zitkus, from Bloomington, Ill., finished his Bee career 10th in program history with 11.5 career sacks. The two-time all-conference selection was named the NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week on Apr. 5, 2021, after recording four sacks in a 24-7 win at St. Francis (Ill.). He pursuing his doctorate in Occupational Therapy at St. Ambrose.