Academic All-District honors for Van Ackeren
11/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Senior captain Brendan Van Ackeren has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Football Team, it was announced on Thursday. Van Ackeren maintains a 3.48 grade point average as an Industrial Engineering major, and has started all eight games for the Mountain Hawks this season at safety. The Bethlehem native has totaled 55 tackles, including three-and-a-half for loss, as well as one interception, and a forced fumble. Van Ackeren, who is one of only five Patriot League student-athletes honored, now moves onto the Academic All-America ballot.
Van Ackeren has registered eight or more tackles in six games this season, including a career-high 11 stops in Lehigh’s Patriot League victory over Georgetown last weekend. He also recovered a fumble versus the Hoyas. In Lehigh’s last three games, Van Ackeren has 25 tackles, including two-for-loss, three pass break ups and one blocked kick.
Off the field, Van Ackeren is involved in a number of extracurricular activities, including the Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM) program, Lehigh’s award winning C.O.A.C.H. program, he is a Peer Educator, he serves as the secretary of the Student-Athlete Executive Committee, and he served as a student guide for a Board of Trustees Meeting.
Van Ackeren, who is a multi-year member of the Dean’s List and the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, was named a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy earlier this season. The Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary community leadership.
Van Ackeren and his Mountain Hawk teammates are back in action on Saturday when they play host to the No. 24 Colgate Raiders at Goodman Stadium on Family Weekend. Kick-off is set for just after 12:30 and tickets can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME, by visiting the Lehigh Athletics Ticket Office, located in Grace Hall, or by logging onto Lehighsports.com at anytime.
