A school-record 31 Northern Illinois University football student-athletes earned recognition on the 2024 Academic All Mid-American Conference team announced Wednesday (Jan. 16) by the league office. The Academic All-MAC distinction honors student-athletes who demonstrate outstanding dedication to both their academic and athletic pursuits.

NIU’s 31 honorees led the MAC and were 11 more than the next highest team as Western Michigan ranked second among league schools with 20 qualifiers.

To qualify for the Academic All-MAC team, student-athletes must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20 and participate in at least 50% of their team’s competitions during the season. First year players are not eligible for the award.

The Huskies’ honorees included 13 starters, led by all five starting offensive linemen and the Huskies’ three senior specialists. In all, 18 2024 seniors finished their NIU careers with Academic All-MAC honors. Twenty-two of NIU’s 31 student-athletes named posted a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

The list featured 12 players already in grad school and two more who graduated from NIU in December. Fifteen of the Huskies have received Academic All-MAC honors in multiple years, led by sixth-year tight end Tristen Tewes who earned the award for the fifth time. Defensive end Raishein Thomas, offensive lineman J.J. Lippe and defensive tackle Jacob Waskow each collected their fourth Academic All-MAC recognition.

NIU’s 2024 Academic All-MAC Football Student-Athletes

* 2024 starter

OL Evan Buss, Sr., Business Administration (Grad)– 3.934* (2)

OL John Champe, Sr., Business Administration (Grad) – 3.532*

OL Abiathar Curry, Soph.-R, Organizational/Corporate Communications – 3.394

DE Ivan Davis, Jr., Exercise Physiology (Grad) – 3.443 (3)

LB Jaden Dolphin, Sr., Sport Management (Grad) – 3.734*

P Tom Foley, Sr.-R, Accountancy (Grad) – 3.587* (3)

LB Christian Fuhrman, Sr., Sport Management (Grad) – 3.768*

DT Cade Haberman, Sr., Political Science – 3.516* (2)

QB Ethan Hampton, Jr.-R, Marketing – 3.598*

S Jordan Hansen, Sr., Sport Management (Grad) – 3.868

LS Isaac Hatfield, Sr., Kinesiology – 3.41* (3)

DT Mark Hensley, Fr.-R, Biological Sciences – 3.855

FB Brock Lampe, Sr., Health Sciences-Pre-Physical Therapy – 3.693* (3)

OL J.J. Lippe, Sr.-R, Sport Management (Grad) – 3.918* (4)

RB Justin Lynch, Jr.-R, Kinesiology – 3.484

LB Filip Maciorowski, Fr.-R, Marketing – 3.302

OL Evan Malcore, Soph.-R, Accountancy – 3.899* (2)

S Ty Myles, Jr.-R, Sport Management (Grad) – 3.557

DE Pierce Oppong, Jr.-R, Mechanical Engineering – 3.436 (3)

OL Thomas Paasch, Fr.-R, Entrepreneurship & Social Responsibility – 3.278

WR Dane Pardridge, Soph.-R, Human Resource Management – 3.598

LB Joey Rattin, Sr., Leadership and Management – 3.283 (2)

C Matthew Schooley, Sr.-R, Business Administration (Grad) – 3.468

TE Tristen Tewes, Sr.-R, Sociology/Criminology – 3.705 (5)

DE Raishein Thomas, Sr., Exercise Physiology (Grad) – 3.89 (4)

S Ethan Tierney, Fr.-R, Business Administration – 3.729

LB Quinn Urwiler, Sr.-R, Kinesiology – 3.622

DT Jacob Waskow, Sr.-R, Health Sciences-Pre-Physical Therapy – 3.917 (4)

OL Jacob Welch, Fr.-R, History – 3.564

K Kanon Woodill, Sr., Psychology – 3.782* (2)

OL Logan Zschernitz, Sr.-R, Sport Management (Grad) – 3.967* (3)

*2024 starter

(#) Career Academic All-MAC honors, including 2024