Woodard Tackles History As First Rebel Football First Team Academic All-America Honoree
1/23/2024 8:28:00 AM | Football
LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – After helping his team to a record-setting season on the field, UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard made more history Tuesday, becoming the first-ever Rebel football player named First Team Academic All-America® by College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly CoSIDA).
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Woodard, who boasted a 4.00 cumulative grade point average, is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, with a major in kinesiology. A 2023 team captain, Woodard transferred in from the University of Arkansas and went on to be named First Team All-Mountain West by multiple agencies and MW Defensive Newcomer of the Year by College Football Network. The junior led the team and ranked second in the conference with 117 total tackles, helping first-year head coach Barry Odom's squad to nine wins for the first time since 1984 and the program's first bowl game appearance in a decade after finishing in a tie for the Mountain West regular-season title.
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"Our program had a number of firsts this year and this is another great achievement for our team," said Odom. "Jackson embodies the qualities that make UNLV Football a program that can and will achieve every goal a student-athlete wants to accomplish in college. His work ethic, leadership and actions are elite in his approach every single day. (Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services) David Wedley sets the standard and provides our student-athletes opportunities built for success!"
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After never having an academic All-American, UNLV football under Wedley has earned three in the last four years. Following the 2020 season, all-time leading rusher Charles Williams became the first UNLV football player in history voted Academic All-America by the CSC, making the second team. Just one season later, lineman Eliel Ehimare became the first defensive player from the Rebels to make the list, also on the second team.
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Woodard becomes the 34th UNLV student-athlete overall to earn CSC Academic All-America dating back to the Rebels' first winner, baseball pitcher Dan Fischer, in 1978. Woodard is the 13th UNLV student-athlete to earn a spot on the national first team and first to do so since women's golfer Therese Koelbaek in 2011.
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Ever since 1952, CSCÂ selects Academic All-America teams throughout the year. Players who are starters or important reserves on their teams and hold at least a 3.50 career grade point average are eligible for the academic awards, which are voted on by sports information directors from across the nation. First Team Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America Team ballot, which was announced today for the sport of football on the Division I level.
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ALL-TIME UNLV FOOTBALL CSC (CoSIDA) ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA®
2023    Jackson Woodard, LB  First Team       Â
2021    Eliel Ehimare, DL        Second Team
2020Â Â Â Â Charles Williams, RBÂ Â Â Â Second Team
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2023 Academic All-America ® Football Team NCAA Division I
FIRST TEAM
Pos.   Name                       School                                  Yr.       GPA      Major
QB      Bo Nix                      University of Oregon            Gr.        3.62/3.91 Communications
RB      Will Shipley (2)        Clemson University             Jr.          4.00        Management
RB      Bucky Irving             University of Oregon            Jr.          3.63        Family & Human Services
TE      Ben Sinnott              Kansas State University      Sr.        3.81        Marketing
WR     Rome Odunze         University of Washington     Sr.        3.51        History & Communications
WR     Malik Washington    University of Virginia            Gr.        3.73/4.00 Higher Education
OL      Cooper Beebe         Kansas State University      Sr.        3.83        Social Studies Education
OL      Zak Zinter (2)           University of Michigan         Sr.        3.53        Sport Management
OL      Seth McLaughlin      University of Alabama         Gr.        4.00/3.65 Finance/Hospitality Management
OL      Josh Priebe             Northwestern University      Sr.        3.90        Learning & Organizational Change
OL      Zach Frazier            West Virginia University      Sr.        3.88        Sport Management
OL      Eric Miller                University of Louisville         Gr.        4.00/4.00 Distilled Spirits
DB      Cole Wisniewski      North Dakota State              Sr.        4.00        Business Administration & Marketing
DB      Beau Freyler            Iowa State University           Jr.          3.90        Kinesiology
DB      Travis Hunter           University of Colorado         So.       3.64        Psychology
DB      Hudson Clark          University of Arkansas         Gr.        3.70/3.60 Business Administration
DL      Darius Robinson      University of Missouri          Gr.        3.77/3.65 Positive Coaching & Athletic Leadership
DL      Judge Culpepper     University of Toledo             Sr.        3.80        Communications
DL      Brody Grebe            Montana State University    Sr.        3.94        Mechanical Engineering
DL      Ashton Gillotte         University of Louisville         Sr.        3.75        Communication
LB      Jackson Woodard  UNLV                                   Jr.         4.00        Kinesiology
LB       JD Bertrand             University of Notre Dame    Gr.        3.62/3.74 Marketing
LB       Jacob Dobbs           College of the Holy Cross    Sr.        3.76        Economics & Religious Studies
K         Alex Hale                 Oklahoma State University  Gr.        3.93/4.00 Health & Human Performance
P         Matthew Hayball      Vanderbilt University           Gr.        3.63/3.89 Leadership & Organizational Performance
P         Kyle Ostendorp        University of Arizona           Sr.        4.00/3.83 Aerospace Engineering
ST      Julian Ashby            Furman University               Sr.        3.97        Physics
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Woodard, who boasted a 4.00 cumulative grade point average, is a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, with a major in kinesiology. A 2023 team captain, Woodard transferred in from the University of Arkansas and went on to be named First Team All-Mountain West by multiple agencies and MW Defensive Newcomer of the Year by College Football Network. The junior led the team and ranked second in the conference with 117 total tackles, helping first-year head coach Barry Odom's squad to nine wins for the first time since 1984 and the program's first bowl game appearance in a decade after finishing in a tie for the Mountain West regular-season title.
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"Our program had a number of firsts this year and this is another great achievement for our team," said Odom. "Jackson embodies the qualities that make UNLV Football a program that can and will achieve every goal a student-athlete wants to accomplish in college. His work ethic, leadership and actions are elite in his approach every single day. (Director of Student-Athlete Academic Services) David Wedley sets the standard and provides our student-athletes opportunities built for success!"
Â
After never having an academic All-American, UNLV football under Wedley has earned three in the last four years. Following the 2020 season, all-time leading rusher Charles Williams became the first UNLV football player in history voted Academic All-America by the CSC, making the second team. Just one season later, lineman Eliel Ehimare became the first defensive player from the Rebels to make the list, also on the second team.
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Woodard becomes the 34th UNLV student-athlete overall to earn CSC Academic All-America dating back to the Rebels' first winner, baseball pitcher Dan Fischer, in 1978. Woodard is the 13th UNLV student-athlete to earn a spot on the national first team and first to do so since women's golfer Therese Koelbaek in 2011.
Â
Ever since 1952, CSCÂ selects Academic All-America teams throughout the year. Players who are starters or important reserves on their teams and hold at least a 3.50 career grade point average are eligible for the academic awards, which are voted on by sports information directors from across the nation. First Team Academic All-District honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America Team ballot, which was announced today for the sport of football on the Division I level.
Â
ALL-TIME UNLV FOOTBALL CSC (CoSIDA) ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA®
2023    Jackson Woodard, LB  First Team       Â
2021    Eliel Ehimare, DL        Second Team
2020Â Â Â Â Charles Williams, RBÂ Â Â Â Second Team
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2023 Academic All-America ® Football Team NCAA Division I
FIRST TEAM
Pos.   Name                       School                                  Yr.       GPA      Major
QB      Bo Nix                      University of Oregon            Gr.        3.62/3.91 Communications
RB      Will Shipley (2)        Clemson University             Jr.          4.00        Management
RB      Bucky Irving             University of Oregon            Jr.          3.63        Family & Human Services
TE      Ben Sinnott              Kansas State University      Sr.        3.81        Marketing
WR     Rome Odunze         University of Washington     Sr.        3.51        History & Communications
WR     Malik Washington    University of Virginia            Gr.        3.73/4.00 Higher Education
OL      Cooper Beebe         Kansas State University      Sr.        3.83        Social Studies Education
OL      Zak Zinter (2)           University of Michigan         Sr.        3.53        Sport Management
OL      Seth McLaughlin      University of Alabama         Gr.        4.00/3.65 Finance/Hospitality Management
OL      Josh Priebe             Northwestern University      Sr.        3.90        Learning & Organizational Change
OL      Zach Frazier            West Virginia University      Sr.        3.88        Sport Management
OL      Eric Miller                University of Louisville         Gr.        4.00/4.00 Distilled Spirits
DB      Cole Wisniewski      North Dakota State              Sr.        4.00        Business Administration & Marketing
DB      Beau Freyler            Iowa State University           Jr.          3.90        Kinesiology
DB      Travis Hunter           University of Colorado         So.       3.64        Psychology
DB      Hudson Clark          University of Arkansas         Gr.        3.70/3.60 Business Administration
DL      Darius Robinson      University of Missouri          Gr.        3.77/3.65 Positive Coaching & Athletic Leadership
DL      Judge Culpepper     University of Toledo             Sr.        3.80        Communications
DL      Brody Grebe            Montana State University    Sr.        3.94        Mechanical Engineering
DL      Ashton Gillotte         University of Louisville         Sr.        3.75        Communication
LB      Jackson Woodard  UNLV                                   Jr.         4.00        Kinesiology
LB       JD Bertrand             University of Notre Dame    Gr.        3.62/3.74 Marketing
LB       Jacob Dobbs           College of the Holy Cross    Sr.        3.76        Economics & Religious Studies
K         Alex Hale                 Oklahoma State University  Gr.        3.93/4.00 Health & Human Performance
P         Matthew Hayball      Vanderbilt University           Gr.        3.63/3.89 Leadership & Organizational Performance
P         Kyle Ostendorp        University of Arizona           Sr.        4.00/3.83 Aerospace Engineering
ST      Julian Ashby            Furman University               Sr.        3.97        Physics
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Players Mentioned
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