KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Western Michigan graduate student Mike Caliendo, Ball State senior Bryce Cosby and Eastern Michigan senior Mike Van Hoeven have been named to the 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-America Division I Football Team. Caliendo was the only first team selection from the MAC, while Cosby and Van Hoeven were named to the second team. 

Caliendo graduated with a degree in biological sciences and a 3.90 grade-point average. He currently holds a 3.88 GPA in graduate school, pursuing a master's in biological sciences. Caleindo was an Academic All-District selection in 2018 and is a four-time Mid-American Conference Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for earning Academic All-MAC and All-MAC selections in the same season. He also was a semifinalist for the Wuerffel Trophy in 2020, college football's premier award for community service (won by WMU's Jon Wassink in 2019). On the field, Caliendo has started 39 straight games for the Broncos, leading a WMU offense that has ranked in the MAC's top-five in rushing offense and sacks allowed each of the last four years. According to Pro Football Focus, he was the offensive line's top run-blocker and in 397 snaps in 2020, he allowed no sacks, no QB hits, just two QB hurries and was called for just one penalty.

Cosby, who graduated from Ball State in the spring of 2021 with a 3.44 grade point average as a telecommunications major, helped the Cardinals to one of their most historic seasons in program history in 2020. The First Team All-MAC selection started all eight games at the safety position for the team that captured the program's first MAC title since 1996 and won the first bowl game in school history. Cosby tied for the team lead with two interceptions after picking off passes at Toledo and in the Arizona Bowl victory over No. 19 San Jose State. He had team-high nine tackles in the bowl win on his way to Defensive Player of the Game honors and a spot on the AP All-Bowl Team. 

Dubbed "one of the hardest working men" on the team by Head Coach Chris Creighton, Van Hoeven played an important role in the EMU offense in 2020. Named to the Rimington Trophy watch list, the award given annually to the nation's best center, Van Hoeven started all six games for the Green and White as the team's center. He helped spur an EMU rushing attack that saw seven different Eagles record multiple attempts on the ground en route to 776 total yards and 11 of EMU's 23 offensive touchdowns in 2020. Additionally, he helped to protect quarterback Preston Hutchinson, who racked up better than 1,600 yards through the air in just six games.

The 2020-21 Academic All-America® Division I Football Team features 12 members with a 4.00 GPA and 25 members with at least a 3.90 GPA as either undergraduate or graduate student-athletes. The 25 members on the first team have an average GPA of 3.90.

For more information regarding the Academic All-America® program, visit https://academicallamerica.com/.