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TROY, N.Y. - Six Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athletes have been selected to the 2017 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Football Academic All-District 3 Division III Team, including three who have been recognized in previous years.
Johnny Ramsdell,
Jakob Grant,
Christian Kapp,
Diego Cuitino,
Oliver Kaija and
Rory McCarthy are all now on the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot, from which first-, second- and third team National Academic All-America honorees will be selected. Ramsdell (3 years), Kapp (2) and Cuitino (2) are each multiple-year honorees.
Johnny Ramsdell (Sr., WR, Haverhill, MA / Haverhill)
Biomedical Engineering (3.74)...Second on team in receptions (19) and receiving yards (218)...Two touchdown catches...Twenty carries for 90 yards...Seven kick returns for 162 yards (23.1 avg)...All-Liberty League Second Team (athlete)...2016: Team-high 17 receptions for 175 yds...Team-high four touchdowns...Had 39 carries for 219 yds...Four touchdowns...All-Liberty League Honorable Mention...2015: Had 64 rushing yards, 144 receiving yards and 339 return yards...Scored five touchdowns...Liberty League Special Teams Performer of Week once…Team's Offensive Grinder Award…Team was Liberty League co-champions...Team played in ECAC Bowls in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (2-1)...CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2016 and 2015...Dean's List...Liberty League All-Academic three times...Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society Vice President...Founders Award of Excellence...Research in materials science lab...MindSET (after-school program)...Volunteer at soup kitchen volunteer and Ronald McDonald House Charity.
Jakob Grant (So., OL, Depew, NY / Depew)
Civil Engineering (3.56)...Left guard...Team averages 186.5 rushing yards and 161.8 passing yards per game...Average 5.4 yards per play...Have allowed 15 sacks...2016: Played on defensive line...Three games...Team won ECAC Bowl...Dean's List...Liberty League All-Academic...Rensselaer Leadership Award (recognition of outstanding personal and academic achievements)...Employment at Sonwil Distribution Center in summer of 2016; Score This!!! Multi-Sport Series in summer of 2016 and summer 2017.
Christian Kapp (Sr., K, Amawalk, NY / Iona Prep.)
Industrial and Management Engineering (3.45)...Third-year starter…Has made 7 of 12 field goals and 37 of 37 extra points...First on team in scoring (60 points)…Averages 63.0 yards per kickoff with 31 touchbacks in 53 attempts…Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week twice...All-Liberty League Second Team...2016: Made 9 of 12 field goals and 32 of 32 extra points...First on team in scoring (59)...Averaged 57.7 yards per kickoff with nine touchbacks in 51 attempts...Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week once...All-Liberty League Second Team...2015: Made 6 of 11 field goals and 37 of 38 extra points...First on team in scoring (55)…Averaged 55.5 yards per kickoff with seven touchbacks in 56 attempts…Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week once...Team was Liberty League co-champions...Team played in ECAC Bowls in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (2-1)...CoSIDA Academic All-District in 2016...Dean's List...Liberty League All-Academic three times...Fred Mitchell Award Watch List...SAAC…Fellowship of Christian Athletes…Co-founder of Students for Service, volunteer organization that assists in community weekly...Intern at W.L. Gore Associates (operations specialist)...Intern at Irving Tissue and MFM Contracting.
Diego Cuitino (Sr., DL, Plainsboro, NJ / West Windsor-Plainsboro)
Mechanical Engineering (3.33)...Nose Guard...Has 25 tackles, including 12 unassisted and 2.5 for lost yards (15)...Has 1.5 sacks (12 yards lost)...All-Liberty League Second Team...2016: Had 33 tackles, including 11 unassisted and 1.5 for lost yards (13)...One sack (13 yards lost)...Forced one fumble...All-Liberty League Honorable Mention...Team's Lineman of the Year...2015: Had 32 tackles, including 8.5 for lost yards and 4.5 sacks...Team's Defensive Grinder Award...CoSIDA Academic All-District...2014: Had 15 tackles, including 1.5 for lost yards...Three fumble recoveries...Team's Defensive Rookie of the Year...Team was Liberty League co-champions...Team played in ECAC Bowls in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (2-1)...Dean's List...Liberty League All-Academic three times...Studied abroad at Buenos Aires Institute of Technology...RPI Leadership Scholarship...Experience at EFE Labs, Active Regenerative Suspension System and Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transport at Rutgers University.
Oliver Kaija (Sr., LB, Reading, VT / Woodstock Union)
Environmental Engineering (3.48)...Captain...Fifth on team in tackles with 41, including 20 unassisted and 3.5 for lost yards (20)...One interception...Two forced fumbles...2016: Fourth on team with 58 tackles, including 4.0 for lost yards (7)...One sack (3 yards lost)...Forced one fumble...Recovered one fumble...2015: Had 15 tackles...Team's Special Teams Player of the Year...2014:Team's Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year...Team was Liberty League co-champions...Team played in ECAC Bowls in 2014, 2015 and 2016 (2-1)...Dean's List...Liberty League All-Academic three times...Two-sport athlete...Captain of lacrosse...Face-off specialist...Two-year starter...Fellowship of Christian Athletes...Stream Crossing Survey Tech. for Office of State Parks.
Rory McCarthy (Jr., DB, Oneida, NY / Oneida)
Mechanical Engineering (3.74)...Strong safety...Third on team in tackles with 48, including 25 unassisted...First in pass breakups (5) and second in interceptions (4)...One fumble recovery...Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week once...All-Liberty League Second Team...Two-sport athlete...Runs 400 hurdles, 110 hurdles and 4x400 relay indoor and outdoor...Dean's List...Liberty League All-Academic...Rensselaer Leadership Award...Engineering intern at J.H. Lynch & Sons, Inc...Head of Philanthropy for Zeta Psi Fraternity...Special Olympics.
The Engineers, who are coached by
Ralph Isernia, are 8-2. Rensselaer travels to No. 13 Wesley College (9-1; 9-0 NJAC) for the first round of the NCAA Playoffs on Saturday at noon. RPI, which is making its fifth appearance in the national tournament, and Wesley have never faced one another.
