AUSTIN, Texas— Colorado Mesa University sophomore Kash Bradley was named to NCAA Division Academic All-America Football Team® as selected by the College Sports Communicators (formerly known as CoSIDA) and announced this week.
 
Bradley was a second team selection at the defensive back position and allowed the Mavericks to be represented for the third straight year after tight end Dagan Rienks was picked in both 2021 and 2022. 
 
The Bushland, Texas native had advanced to the national ballot after picking up Academic All-District® honors last month.  The exercise major holds a 3.72 GPA and had also earned First Team Academic All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference honors. 
 
He was also an honorable mention selection on the field the defensive back position after finishing second on the Maverick team with 60 total tackles.  He also had three interceptions and eight other pass breakups to rank third in the RMAC for passes defended per game (1.10).  He also returned a kickoff for 100 yards and a touchdown en-route to RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors on Sept. 18.
 
To be eligible for CSC All-District accolades, under the new criteria for 2023-24, student-athletes must have a 3.50 or higher GPA and be at least a sophomore academically.  They must also have either played in 90 percent of the team's games or start at-least two thirds of them.  Transfers are now eligible, unlike in previous years, although institutions were limited to eight total nominations.
 
A national ballot was then selected from that list of qualified student-athletes and voted on by CSC members, which determined the selection of the Academic All-America® teams.
   
2005- Creed James - Defensive Line (2^nd Team)
2006- Creed James – Defensive Line (2^nd Team)
2007- Kurt Kissner- Defensive Line (2^nd Team)
2011- Trent deBraga- First Team (1^st Team)
2012- Trent deBraga- Defensive Back (1^st Team)
2012- Matt Mankoff – Offensive Line (1^st Team)
2013- Jake Edmiston- Linebacker (1^st Team)
2016- Dustin Rivas- Defensive Back (2^nd Team)
2021- Torren Calhoun- Defensive Line (1^st Team)
2021- Dagan Rienks- Tight End (2^nd Team)
2022- Dagan Rienks- Tight End (1^st Team)
2023- Kash Bradley- Defensive Back (2^nd Team)