TERRE HAUTE, IND. -- Rose-Hulman Institute of
Technology sophomore Nick Buchta (North Barrington,
Ill./Lake Zurich) has earned Capital One NCAA
Division III Football Academic All-American honors, in results
released today by the College Sports Information Directors of
America.
Buchta captured second-team accolades for his efforts in the classroom and as a member of the football squad over the past two years. The NCAA Division III Academic All-American team includes two squads of 24 student-athletes each (11 offensive players, 11 defensive players, one kicker, one punter) out of nearly 300 football playing institutions across the nation.
Buchta becomes the 98th Academic All-American in Rose-Hulman athletics history and claimed the 31st football award. Thomas Reives was the most recent football honoree following the 2009 season, and 12 Fightin' Engineer football players have earned Academic All-American honors since 2002.
At least one Rose-Hulman student-athlete has earned Academic All-American honors for the last 27 years, the sixth longest streak among all NCAA Division I, II or III institutions.
Buchta appeared in nine games with six starts for the Fightin' Engineers this season. The left tackle provided blocks that allowed senior Kyle Kovach to become the career rushing leader at Rose-Hulman and also offered blocks in a career-high 342-yard passing effort by Mitch Snyder against Bluffton.
In the classroom, Buchta completed his freshman year with a 4.00 grade point average as a mechanical engineering major.
Rose-Hulman finished 5-5 overall on the gridiron this fall to establish a new program record with an eighth consecutive season at .500 or above. The Fightin' Engineers open the 2013 season with a trip to Kalamazoo College on September 7.