Harding Football Places Five on CSC Academic All-America Teams, Most in Division II

SEARCY – A school-record five members of the national champion Harding football team, the most of any team in NCAA Division II, received Academic All-America honors Tuesday from College Sports Communicators. Harding's previous high was two recipients in 2016. Two other teams had four honorees this year.

Honorees are selected by members of the CSC and are chosen based on both academic and athletic achievements during the 2023 season.

Earning First Team All-America were running back Blake Delacruz and defensive back Ty Dugger. Second Team honorees included offensive lineman Jake Dugger, offensive lineman Levi Pate and linebacker Zach Strickland.

Delacruz, a senior criminal justice major with a 3.62 GPA, rushed for a school-record 1,508 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. He also earned AP All-America honors following the season and became just the eighth Harding student-athlete in any sport to earn Academic All-America and All-America in his career.

Ty Dugger is a junior accounting major with a 3.91 GPA. He was third on the team with 44 tackles and led the team with three interceptions.

Jake Dugger, a senior information systems major with a 3.71 GPA, started all 15 games at right tackle for Harding's record-setting rushing offense that compiled 6,160 yards on the ground.

Pate, a senior medical humanities major with a 3.69 GPA, was Harding's starting center on the offensive line.

Strickland, a senior political science major with a 3.62 GPA, was second on the team with 70 tackles, including 10.0 tackles for loss.

Before its five honorees this season, Harding had had 10 Academic All-Americans since in its first in 1978.

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Players Mentioned

#26 Blake Delacruz: RB; 5' 8"; Junior

#57 Jake Dugger: OL; 6' 3"; Junior

#20 Ty Dugger: DB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#51 Levi Pate: OL; 6' 0"; Senior

#43 Zach Strickland: LB; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#26 Blake Delacruz
: 5' 8"; Junior
: RB

#57 Jake Dugger
: 6' 3"; Junior
: OL

#20 Ty Dugger
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: DB

#51 Levi Pate
: 6' 0"; Senior
: OL

#43 Zach Strickland
: 6' 1"; Senior
: LB