ST. LOUIS - A total of five Sycamore football student-athletes earned All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Academic honors from the league office this week. The MVFC's All-Academic squad is voted upon by a vote of league sports information directors.

Alex Sewall took home first team honors while Julian Easterly and Dillon Painter were second team selections. Rounding out the Sycamore honorees were Rod Hardy and FN Lutz on the honorable mention squad.

Representing Indiana State on the first team is junior defensive back Alex Sewall, who carries a 3.69 GPA in Exercise Science. Sewall as an All-MVFC Academic Honorable Mention selection last season and took home ESPN Academic All-District honors earlier this year. Sewall had 70 total tackles on the year, including 39 solo stops with a season-high 10 tackles against Illinois State. He recorded a quarterback sack against Northern Iowa in addition to an interception, and had one other interception against Illinois State. His 6.36 tackles per game ranked in a tie for 22nd in the league while his two interceptions tied for 13th best in the MVFC.

On the second team for Indiana State was junior defensive back Julian Easterly, who holds a 3.97 GPA in English. Easterly recorded four tackles on the season, including two in the Youngstown State road victory.

Indiana State's Dillon Painter also made the second team with his 3.48 GPA in Exercise Science. Painter earlier this season was named to the ESPN Academic All-District squad. Painter, had 39 total tackles on the season, including a season-high 10 against Northern Iowa. He put together a total of eight multi-tackle efforts this season. He recorded one sack against St. Joseph's as well this season.

Junior Rod Hardy was named an honorable mention selection with his 3.27 GPA in Political Science. He tallied 34 tackles on the season, including six solo stops. Hardy had 4.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks. He posted a season-high six tackles against league champion Northern Iowa and was credited with three quarterback sacks against St. Joseph's. He scored a rushing touchdown in the season opener against St. Joseph's.

Also on the honorable mention team was sophomore offensive lineman FN Lutz, who has a 3.20 GPA in Criminology. Lutz played and started all 11 games for the Sycamores at the center position. He was an anchor of the Sycamore offense which averaged 193.45 rushing yards per game, ranked fifth in the league and was 22nd in nation. The ISU offense gained 411.82 yards per game, fourth in the league and 17th nationally and the =eam broke a school record by scoring 351 points, averaging 31.91 points per game, which was second in the MVFC and 15th nationally. The Sycamore offensive line allowed just 1.45 quarterback sacks per game, third in the league and 33rd in FCS football.