COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) unveiled its All-Academic Team for football on Tuesday (Dec. 10) afternoon. Colorado Mesa was well represented on the list with a total of 29 student-athletes receiving recognition including five first team honorees and one of the major award winners.
 
To be considered for First Team recognition, student-athletes must maintain a 3.5 GPA, use a season of eligibility and have completed two semesters at their current institution. Honor Roll student athletes must have a 3.3 grade-point-average and meet the two criteria to be named to the team.
 
Sophomore linebacker Charlie Smith was named the RMAC Academic Defensive Player of the Year along with First Team recognition after earning a 4.0 GPA in construction management courses. The Arvada, Colo. native finished second in the conference in total tackles with 96 and added 7.5 tackles for loss, and two interceptions. Smith was one of the anchors of the defense that led the conference in total defense, scoring defense, and passing yards allowed.
 
Smith had a season-high 16 tackles in the Mavericks win over Black Hills State on November 2 at Stocker Stadium.
 
Redshirt junior tight end Sam Horneck earned RMAC Academic First Team honors with a 3.82 GPA in criminal justice course work. Horneck finished the season with 22 catches for 192 yards and three touchdowns. The Evergreen, Colo. native had a season-high six catches for 38 yards and a touchdown in the Mavericks win over Black Hills State on November 2.
 
Redshirt junior Colin Stuhr earned First Team recognition for maintaining a 3.61 GPA and working towards a degree in construction management. Stuhr earned D2CCA All-Region honors along with All-RMAC First Team honors at linebacker after finished the season with 64 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, and two interceptions. He had 10 tackles, 3.5 sacks and a forced fumble in a win over Black Hills State which earned him RMAC Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
 
Sophomore safety Jason Thome picked up First Team honors for his work on the field and in the classroom. Thome, a Business Administration major with a 3.86 GPA, finished the season with 51 tackles, a sack and four interceptions. He had four tackles and two interceptions in the Mavericks win over Chadron State on September 28 in Grand Junction.
 
Junior return specialist Kash Bradley earned his second straight RMAC All-Academic First Team honor. The Bushland, Texas native has a 3.81 GPA and is in Exercise Science coursework. Bradley was named to the D2CCA All-Super Region IV team and the All-RMAC First Team as a punt returner and a kick returner after leading the conference in both punt and kick return average. He ranked No. 16 in the country in punt return average and No. 49 in combined return average.
 
Oscar Aranday-Sierra (Fitness & Health Promotion), Alexander Bruns (Construction Management), Micah Byrum (Business Administration), Logan DeArment (Business Administration), Zach Dibella (Outdoor Recreation), Trevin Edwards (Business Administration), Noah Greer (Business Administration), Calem Grimble (Construction Management), Sam Horneck (Criminal Justice), Jack Horsford (Exercise Science), Trek Keyworth (Business Administration), Max Kibbee (Exercise Science), Sean Kidd (Business Administration), Jack Kimbrough (Construction Management), Levi Krebs (Biological Sciences), Lex Leany (Business Administration), Evan Morris (Business Administration), Kahekili Pahio (Exercise Science), Ryan Randall (Mechanical Engineering), Brody Robinson (Kinesiology), Kade Street (Criminal Justice), Corbin Throgmorton (Criminal Justice), Payton Wainwright (Business Administration), Aaron Whear (Business Administration [grad.]), and Noah Williams (Civil Engineering) all earned a spot on the RMAC Academic Honor Roll.