Six Football Players Named Academic All-District
(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team had six members named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Capital One Academic All-District Team Thursday, November 10. To be nominated for the award, a student-athlete must be a starter or significant reserve and maintain a GPA of 3.3 or better.
Carnegie Mellon is part of District 4 which is comprised of all Division III schools in the state of Pennsylvania. All six honorees will now move on to the national ballot for Capital One Academic All-America recognition.
On the offensive side of the ball, junior running back Jake Nardone (Beaver, Pa./Beaver Area) is joined by two of his blockers, senior center Ross Lapkowicz (Beallsville, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic) and sophomore guard Jacob Krause (Waukesha, Wis./ Catholic Memorial). Defensively, senior defensive lineman Andrew Medenbach (Muskegon, Mich./Mona Shores) is joined by a pair of juniors, linebacker Nick Karabin (Ruffs Dale, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) and cornerback Sam Thompson (Alcoa, Tenn.). All six are making their first appearance on the all-district team.
Nardone currently is second on the team and in the University Athletic Association (UAA) in rushing with 631 yards. He also has reached the end zone six times this season. The junior ranks 14th on the Tartans' career rushing list with 1,455 yards. A business administration major, Nardone has a 3.45 GPA. He has 16 career rushing touchdowns and a career average of 5.6 yards per carry.
Lapkowicz and Krause both play a major part in the Tartans' nationally-ranked rushing attack, as the team averages 253.3 yards per game. Lapkowicz is a chemical engineering major and carries a 3.47 GPA while Krause has a 3.45 GPA and is majoring in biology. This season, the Tartans have rushed for 300 yards or more in four games as a result of the dominant blocking of Lapkowicz and Krause up front.
Medenbach has a 3.56 GPA and is a biological sciences major. He leads the team with four sacks and is third in the UAA in that category. The senior also has recovered two fumbles and has totaled 32 tackles. Earlier this season against Catholic, Medenbach recorded career highs with seven tackles, including three solo.
Karabin leads the team with 74 tackles and ranks third in the UAA. Earlier this season he recorded a career-high 12 tackles against Washington University and tallied a career-high eight solo tackles at Hiram. The chemical and biomedical engineer has a 3.51 GPA and is also tops in the UAA with three forced fumbles.
Thompson is having a career year, as he leads the team and is second in Division III with seven interceptions. In each of his last two games, the junior has recorded two interceptions and has tied the single-season school record with one game remaining. Against Catholic, he returned an interception 71 yards for a touchdown, marking the first score of his career. He also has five pass breakups to give him a total of 12 passes defended to lead the UAA. Thompson is a mechanical engineering major with a 3.93 GPA.