Six Nebraska Wesleyan University football players have been honored as Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-District 6 selections. The teams were announced Thursday (Nov. 8). and NWU had six players named All-District in the college division.

The NWU Academic All-District selections include: punter Kelby Vandenberg, kicker Aaron Lorraine, wide receiver Brian Pieper, defensive back Michael Huettner, defensive back Seth Wardyn, and defensive lineman Russell Walton. All seven players now advance to the national ballot for Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America recognition that will be announced Dec. 3.

Nebraska Wesleyan ranks 9th in all levels of football in its number of Academic All-Americans with 40. As a university, NWU is 8th in all levels of its total number of Academic All-Americans with 127.

Vandenberg (David City, Neb.) has a 3.73 GPA as a business administration major and was Academic All-American in 2011. He ranks 13th in the NAIA averaging 40.4 yards per punt. He leads the team with 26 receptions on the year. Lorraine (Omaha, Neb.) has a 3.85 GPA as a business administration major. Lorraine is 10-14 on field goals to rank 11th in the NAIA in made field goals.

Pieper (North Platte, Neb.) has a 3.88 GPA as a Health & Fitness Studies major. He leads the team with 447 receiving yards on 26 catches.

On defense, Huettner (Verdon, Neb.) has a 3.95 GPA as an accounting major. He has 32 total tackles with eight pass breakups starting every game at safety. Wardyn (Grand Island, Neb.) has a 3.81 GPA as a biology major. He is second on the team with 60 total tackles and was GPAC Player of the Week earlier this season. Walton (Franklin, Neb.) is a three-time Academic All-District selection and Academic All-American in 2011. Walton is a 2-time First-Team All-GPAC selection.

Student-athletes must meet four criteria to earn Capital One Academic All-District honors: 1) must have a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better, 2) must have at least two terms of attendance at the institution, 3) must be at least a sophomore in athletic eligibility, 4) must be a starter or key reserve in their respective sport.

The All-District selection is determined by voting of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). District 6 is comprised of NAIA, Canada and 2-year institutions in Kansas, Nebraska, Montana and South Dakota.