Football | 11/22/2019 4:40:29 PM
Graduate student Alex Minnick and senior Tony Silvanic of St. John Fisher College, along with senior Gregory Alfieri and junior Michael Bailey of SUNY Cortland were named to the 2019 Academic All-District ® Football Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of American (CoSIDA). Both student-athletes were District 3 selections, which encompasses all of New York state.
The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes soccer honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. Honorees selected first-team Academic All-District® will advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. Division III Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on Dec. 11.
An accounting major, Minnick was named All-District for the first time in his career as the graduate student holds a 3.76 cumulative GPA in the classroom. An offensive lineman, Minnick, a native of Voorheesville, N.Y. has helped paved the way for Fisher to boast one of the top passing offenses in the Empire 8 as it averages nearly 280 yards through the air per game. Fisher has racked up over 100 yards on the ground five times in all and has accounted for three games with at least 395 yards passing including a 480-yard performance against No. 13 Ithaca College.
Now a two-time All-District selection, Silvanic is one of just two student-athletes from Region III, which encompasses all of New York State to carry a 4.0 cumulative grade-point average. The Chenango Forks, N.Y. native, who became one of five members of the football program to be named an Academic All-American last season, was on pace for another strong season before being sidelined with an injury. Despite not having played in four weeks, the senior finance major still ranks sixth on the team in total tackles with 38 while his 5.0 tackles for a loss are third among his teammates. Silvanic also has one pass breakup and a fumble recovery to his credit.
Alfieri, a biology major, carries a 3.42 GPA. The senior linebacker has enjoyed an excellent 2019 season on the field, with 92 total tackles, including 30 solo stops and four sacks. Alfieri, one of Cortland’s captains, leads the Empire 8 with 62 assisted tackled and his 9.2 tackles per game are sixth best in the conference. On Nov. 21, Alfieri, a native of Hawthorne, N.Y., earned All-Empire 8 second team honors.
Bailey, a native of Bedford Hills, N.Y., holds a 3.66 GPA as a biology major, while helping Cortland’s offense rack up 4,391 yards in 10 games (439.1 yards per game), which leads the Empire 8. The Red Dragons have amassed at least 400 yards of offense seven times in 2019, including three games with at least 570 yards with Bailey serving on the offensive line. It is his second straight All-District honor.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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