SXU Student-Athletes Named to the Mid-States Football Association All-Academic Team
Twenty-five student-athletes from the Saint Xavier University (SXU) football team were recently named to the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA) All-Academic Team. To qualify for this outstanding award, a student-athlete must maintain a GPA of 3.25 or higher and be enrolled at SXU for at least one calendar year.
Out of the 25 student-athletes, four stand out. Graduate students Peyton Benes and Ryan Fitzgerald and fifth-year seniors Stuart Ross and Nick Schultz have been named to the team for the fourth time in their careers.
Saint Xavier Athletics has a high standard of academic excellence set for student-athletes, which starts on day one when enrolled at the University. A student-athlete must be in good academic standing to compete and must maintain a high GPA all times. They must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 full-time undergraduate hours per term and upperclassmen must pass at least 24 credit hours in the two previous full-time terms of attendance to be eligible for competition.
With 26 seasons as head coach of SXU's football team, Mike Feminis couldn't be prouder of his players who have gone above and beyond in the classroom and on the field.
"I'm very proud of our guys, and to see that nearly one-third of our team made the MSFA All-Academic team is awesome. Academics is and will always be the priority in our program, and our players fully understand that when they commit to SXU," Feminis said.
There are plenty of resources for student-athletes who may struggle with their academics, and Coach Feminis, alongside every other coach within the Athletics Department, makes sure their players are on top of their studies.
"Joanna Nemah, the director of the Center for Learning and Student Support, has been a tremendous resource for our athletes. They are constantly communicating with our faculty and my coaches to alert us if any of our players are struggling in class. They offer the necessary guidance like tutors, writing assistance, and other resources to get them straightened out," Feminis said.