DeLong Named to D3football.com All-North Region Team
Written Nov. 27, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview High School), was named to the D3football.com All-North Region third team.

DeLong made 66 receptions for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns this season, and led the OAC in receptions per game (6.6) and receiving yardage per game (105.0). He finished fourth in the OAC for all-purpose yardage, averaging 105.3 yards a game, and ninth for scoring, averaging 5.8 points an outing.

Nationally, in NCAA Division III, the senior receiver ranked 13th in receiving yards, 15th in receiving yardage per game and 31st in receptions per game.

Five Named to Academic All-OAC Teams
Written Nov. 27, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Five members of the 2007 Otterbein football team were selected to Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams, the OAC released today.

Otterbein and Mount Union, with seven players selected, were the only two teams in the 10-member OAC to have five or more players selected to the academic teams.

Defensive back Justin Ross, defensive back Brett Glass, punter B.J. Wanninger and offensive lineman Mike Young were named to the first team. Linebacker Eric Burnsides earned honorable mention honors.

Ross, a senior from Canal Winchester, was a unanimous selection in voting by the league’s faculty athletic representatives. The free safety, a four-time academic all-conference selection, is majoring in business administration and economics. Ross has made the Otterbein Dean’s List nine times.

Glass, a senior from Plain City (Jonathon Alder High School), is majoring in life science with a minor in business administration. He has made the dean’s list six times.

Wanninger, a junior from Cincinnati (LaSalle), is also a life science major and has appeared on the dean’s list six times.

Young, a senior from Columbus Grove, is majoring in middle childhood education.

Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), is majoring in broadcasting with a minor in speech communications.

Six Named to All-OAC Teams
Written Nov. 19, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Six members of the 2007 Otterbein football team were selected to All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams, the OAC released today.

Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview High School), offensive tackle Andy Fries, a junior from Norwalk, and running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), were selected to the first team.

DeLong made 66 receptions for 1,050 yards and nine touchdowns this season, and led the OAC in receptions per game (6.6) and receiving yardage per game (105.0). He finished fourth in the OAC for all-purpose yardage, averaging 105.3 a game.

Fries anchored an offensive line that averaged 165 yards rushing and 216.7 yards passing a game. Otterbein finished second in the OAC for total offense.

Yates rushed for 730 yards and eight touchdowns on 155 carries. He finished third in the OAC, averaging 73.0 rushing yards a game. The running back also made 10 receptions for 108 yards.

Linebacker Eric Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), was selected to the second team by the OAC coaches. Burnsides led Otterbein with 80 tackles, 37 of them unassisted this season. The linebacker tallied 5.5 tackles for a loss of 14 yards. Burnsides finished seventh in the OAC for most tackles.

Quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), and offensive guard Mike Young, a senior from Columbus Grove, were named to the honorable mention team.

Rafferty accounted for 18 touchdowns, 10 by rush and eight by pass, to lead Otterbein in scoring with 60 points. He completed 89 of 157 pass attempts for 1,388 yards and finished fourth in the OAC with a 140.1 pass rating. He netted 401 yards rushing on 118 carries.

Cards Fall in Triple OT
Written Nov. 10, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO―Otterbein’s (5-5, 5-4) senior day was spoiled in heart-breaking fashion by John Carroll (6-4, 5-4), 35-33, in triple overtime Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

John Carroll started off the game with the ball and moved methodically down the field on a 12 play, 67-yard drive that was capped off by a 3-yard TD reception by Blue Streaks sophomore wide receiver Frank Ross to give JC a 7-0 lead. 

Otterbein responded on their first possession by moving the ball 42 yards on 11 plays that resulted in a 35-yard field goal by senior place-kicker Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis). 

The score would remain 7-3 until the second quarter when JC senior defensive end Nadhal Eadeh recovered a fumble and went 65 yards for a Blue Streak touchdown, making the score 13-3 (pat blocked). 

After a surprisingly low-scoring first half that saw only 16 total points put up, the second half featured offensive outbursts by both teams. 

Trailing 13-3 at the half, Otterbein came out in the second half and scored first, a 23-yard field goal by Shirvanian made it a 13-6 game. 

After forcing JC to turn the ball over on downs, junior quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) hit Ray Welch, a sophomore from Lewis Center (Olentangy), on a 40-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 13.  The Cards took their first lead of the game, 20-13, going 95 yards on only eight plays that ended on a 36-yard touchdown reception by sophomore wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

JC tied the game at 20 with 16.3 seconds remaining and had a chance to win it in regulation.  After John Carroll recovered an onside kick that hit off an Otterbein player, Josiah Kedzior missed a 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired. 

Otterbein got the ball first in overtime and was unable to capitalize, missing a 35-yard field goal.  John Carroll, on its first possession in overtime, moved the ball down to the OC 3-yard line, but a personal foul by the Blue Streaks and a player ejection moved the ball back to the OC 18-yard line and JC missed a game-winning 35-yard field goal attempt. 

John Carroll scored first in the second overtime to go up 27-20.  Otterbein responded after converting on 3rd and 15 and, two plays later, Rafferty scored on a one-yard run to tie the game at 27. 

Rafferty scored on the first play from scrimmage in the third overtime on a 25-yard run.  Otterbein failed on its two-point conversion attempt, leaving the score with Otterbein leading 33-27.  John Carroll quarterback Mark Petruziello, facing a fourth and two situation from the Otterbein 7-yard line, threw a 7-yard TD pass to Peter Spachner to tie the game.  The Blue Streaks converted the two-point conversion for the win. 

Otterbein punted only once in the game and was 11 of 18 on third-down conversions. 

Offensively, the Cards finished with 492 yards.  Rafferty led the way with 301 yards passing and two touchdowns and also carried the ball for 72 yards on 12 carries and two touchdowns.  Senior wide receiver Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview), with six catches for 138 yards, finished the season with 1,050 yards. 

Defensively, the Cards had four sacks and were led by junior linebacker Eric Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), who had a season-high 16 tackles. 

Otterbein concludes the 2007 campaign with a conference record of 5-4, finishing tied for fourth place with Baldwin-Wallace and John Carroll.  The senior class leaves Otterbein with a 20-20 record.

Cards Host John Carroll
Written Nov. 7, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Scott DeLong enters the game with 912 receiving yards in 2007.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein closes out the 2007 season with the Blue Streaks of John Carroll, 1:30 p.m., Saturday at home in Memorial Stadium. It will be Senior Day.

Otterbein, 5-4 overall, sits in a three-way tie with Ohio Northern (6-3) and Baldwin-Wallace (6-3) for third place, each 5-3 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). John Carroll, 5-4 overall, sits one game back in sixth place at 4-4.

The senior class enters today’s game with a 20-19 record over its four years of play and has an opportunity to leave Otterbein with a winning record, something not done since the class of 1982. As sophomores, this class finished 7-3 in 2005.

“Our senior class has done a great job of building the foundation for a long-term successful program,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater. “Obviously, being the most successful class since the 1979 freshmen reported is a great accomplishment.”

Both teams come into the game off losses—the Cardinals seeing its four-game winning streak snapped at Baldwin-Wallace, 37-27, while the Blue Streaks, under ninth-year head coach Regis Scafe, falling to No. 1 Mount Union, 53-0, at home.

B-W used some big plays in the second half, including a pair of touchdowns on a blocked Otterbein punt and a 62-yard pass, to hold off Otterbein, who led at the half, 13-7.

Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman High School), rushed for two touchdowns and threw for another in Berea. He completed 17 of 26 pass attempts for 217 yards.

Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview), notched his fifth game this season with over 100 yards receiving, making six catches for 128 yards.

Wide receiver Dan Gendron, a sophomore from Newport, Mich. (Jefferson), tallied 132 all-purpose yards, including a five-yard pass for a touchdown and a 43-yard kickoff return. Running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), rounded out the Otterbein scoring with a 4-yard TD run, finishing with 78 yards on 21 carries.

John Carroll, meanwhile, fell behind early, trailing, 26-0, after one quarter of play and struggled offensively in its loss to Mount Union. The Blue Streaks netted 44 yards of offense passing, but were held to minus-47 yards rushing largely due to eight pass sacks by the Mount Union defense.

Blue Streak quarterback Mark Petruziello, a junior from Mentor (Lake Catholic), completed 6 of 17 pass attempts for 45 yards. Running back Mark Elsaesser, a freshman from Webster, N.Y. (McQuaid Jesuit), set a school record for kickoff return yardage, amassing 197 yards on eight returns.

Ross and Glass Earn Academic All-District Honors
Written Nov.8, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Justin Ross, a senior from Canal Winchester, Ohio, and Brett Glass, a senior from Plain City, Ohio (Johnathan Alder High School), were named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV teams in football as selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), released today by CoSIDA.

Ross was named to the first team and is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration. Glass earned second team honors.

Ross, a four-year starter at defensive back, ranks third on the team with 58 tackles, 28 of them unassisted in 2007. The tri-captain has made eight interceptions over his four-year career.

The free safety is majoring in Business Administration, with a minor in Economics, and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List nine times.

Glass, a two-year letterman at defensive back, ranks tenth on the team with 34 tackles, including 22 solo stops in 2007.

The cornerback is majoring in Life Science and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List five times.

Academic All-District IV team members are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. District IV encompasses the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Cards Fall to B-W 37-27
Written Nov.3, 2007 by Don Middleton

BEREA, OHIO―Otterbein’s (5-4, 5-3) quest to win it’s fifth consecutive game for the first time since 1979 was spoiled Saturday after falling to Baldwin-Wallace (6-3, 5-3) 37-27 in Berea. 

With wins by Ohio Northern and Capital, the Cards find themselves back in the middle of the pack in the OAC, tied for fourth with B-W, with a conference record of 5-3. 

For the first time in three weeks, Otterbein found themselves trailing early. B-W scored on its first drive, going 67 yards on only 6 plays.

The Cards responded back quickly, using a 10-play, 71-yard drive that was capped off by a 1-yard TD run by sophomore QB Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) to tie it up 7-7.  After forcing B-W to turn the ball over on downs, Otterbein running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), scored on a 4-yard TD run to put OC ahead 13-7 (pat failed).

After going into the half trailing 13-7, B-W came out firing in the second half and scored 20 unanswered points.  A blocked punt in the end zone, and two offensive touchdown’s later, Otterbein found themselves trailing 27-13 midway through the fourth quarter. 

A 2-yard TD run by Rafferty with 7:41 to go in the fourth quarter put the Cards in position for a comeback, trailing 27-20, but B-W quarterback Anthony Gardner hit wide receiver Vinny Latessa on a 62-yard strike to put the OC deficit back to 14 points.

With 4:59 remaining, Rafferty hit sophomore wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) on a 5-yard pass to cut the lead to 34-27.  OC couldn’t hold back the Yellow Jackets offense though as B-W used 4:19 off the clock and converted on a 26-yard field goal with 40 seconds remaining to put the game away, 37-27.

Otterbein was 6 of 15 on third down, while the Cards held B-W to only 2 of 10 on third-down conversions.

Offensively, Otterbein wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview), went over the 100-yard mark for the fifth time this season with 128-yards on six catches.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Cards were led by junior defensive back Corey Spellman (Grove City/Central Crossing) and sophomore linebacker Wil Longsdorf (London) who had 9 tackles apiece.  Spellman also added OC’s lone sack of the game.

Otterbein will play their season finale at home next Saturday (Nov. 10) against John Carroll (5-4, 4-4).  Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

The Cardinals will be looking for their first win against John Carroll since 2004.  JC fell to No. 1 ranked Mount Union 53-0 Saturday.

Cardinals Win Fourth Straight
Written Oct. 27, 2007 by Don Middleton

NEW CONCORD, OHIO―Otterbein (5-3, 5-2) spoiled Muskingum’s (0-8, 0-7) homecoming and kept the Muskies winless with a 29-0 shutout at Sherman Field in New Concord, Ohio Saturday.

With the win, Otterbein moves into a three-way tie with Capital and Ohio Northern for second place in the OAC.

“Defensively, we played a second-straight solid football game,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth.  “Offensively we were not as effective as we wanted to be.  It was a slow, methodical win today.”

After stunning 6th-ranked Capital last weekend, the Cards were once again on top of their game, playing stellar defense and also scoring a touchdown on a blocked punt.

Senior place-kicker Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis) connected on a 28-yard field goal to put Otterbein on the board first with 7:21 to play in the first quarter.

Otterbein sophomore Eric Yates (Dublin/Scioto) made it 9-0 (pat failed) with a 14-yard run with 4:44 to play in the first half. 

An 8-play, 61-yard drive was capped off with a 14-yard touchdown pass by sophomore quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) to senior Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) with only 3 seconds remaining in the first half. 

Defensive back John Wahler, a junior from Huber Heights (Wayne High School), recovered a blocked punt in the end zone with 5:57 to play in the third quarter to give the Cards a 22-0 lead.

Senior quarterback Paul Stelzer (Delaware/Hayes) came into the game in the fourth quarter and led Otterbein on a 15-play, 97-yard drive that ended with a 23-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Ray Welch (Lewis Center/Olentangy) with 3:26 remaining in the fourth quarter.

For the third time this season, Yates went over the 100-yard mark, gaining 122 yards on 26 carries and one touchdown.  DeLong also went over the century mark for receiving yards for the fourth time in 2007, making nine catches for 139 yards and a touchdown.

“DeLong made the plays when we really needed them,” Loth said.  “Scotty made a lot of nice plays that helped dig us out of a hole and through some tough spots.”

The Cardinal defense held the Muskies to only 190 yards of total offense, a season best for Otterbein.  OC also held Muskingum to 2 for 14 on third-down conversions and forced three turnovers. The team also tied a season high with four sacks.

Senior cornerback Tony Furr (Johnstown/Monroe) and senior defensive back Justin Ross (C.Winchester) led the Otterbein defense with six tackles apiece.

With the win, Otterbein has defeated Muskingum the last four seasons, with the last two coming by shutout. 

Otterbein travels to Berea, Ohio next Saturday for a game against Baldwin-Wallace (5-3, 4-3).  Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. B-W defeated 17th ranked Ohio Northern, 21-18, Saturday in Ada.

Cards Stun 6th-Ranked Capital
Written Oct. 20, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Otterbein linebacker Donnie Reinhart applies the heat to Capital QB Wade Bartholomew

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein (4-3, 4-2) stunned 6th-ranked Capital (6-1, 5-1), pinning the first loss this season on its cross-town rival, 17-10, in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

“Ever since the second half of the Ohio Northern game (a 27-14 loss Sept. 29),” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, “we’ve turned into a pretty good football team. We’ve got to continue, taking it one game at a time.”

The Cardinals played a near flawless game—committing just one turnover—against one of the best defenses in the nation on their way to their third-consecutive win. Capital came into the game ranked second in NCAA Division III in three categories: total defense (143.8 yards a game), rushing defense (19.2 yards per outing) and scoring defense (4.8 points a game).

Place-kicker Alek Shirvanian, a senior from Dearborn Heights, Mich. (Annapolis High School), put Otterbein on the scoreboard first, hitting a 26-yard field goal with 2:01 to play in the first quarter.

Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), made it 10-0 with a crucial 2-yard run on a fourth-and-goal situation with 4:42 to play in the first half.

“That play was big,” Loth said. “I came close to calling a timeout (for a field-goal attempt), but decided to stick with the play because I knew we needed to score some points.”

Running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), scored what proved to be the game-winner, a 7-yard run that capped off a 13-play, 80-yard drive to make the score, 17-3, with 1:13 to play in the third quarter.

Yates and Rafferty combined for 121 rushing yards in the win. No team had rushed for 100 yards against Capital this season. The Crusaders had not allowed a rushing touchdown until today.

Although most of the focus coming into the game was on the Crusader defense, it was the Otterbein defense that played its best game in 2007, holding Capital to 326 yards of total offense, a season best for the Cardinals, who had been allowing 480.5 yards a game.

Linebacker Wil Longsdorf, a sophomore from London, led the Cardinal defense with 12 tackles, five unassisted. Cornerback Tony Furr, a junior from Johnstown (Monroe), and linebacker Eric Burnsides, a junior from Columbus (Worthington Kilbourne), tallied 10 tackles apiece.

Otterbein travels to Muskingum next Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

Cards Host 6th-Ranked Capital
Written Oct. 18, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Otterbein takes on cross-town rival and 6th-ranked Capital, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in a key Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

The game can be seen on tape delay on the Columbus Sports Network Saturday at 9:30 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. on Time Warner and Insight (channel 78) and WOW! (97); and also over-the-air (32).

Both teams come into the game off wins—the Cardinals, under head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater, downing Heidelberg, 34-31, at home and Capital, under 11th-year head coach Jim Collins, handling 15th-ranked Ohio Northern, 24-6, at home.

Otterbein, 3-3 overall, sits in a four-way tie for second place with Ohio Northern (4-2), John Carroll (4-2), and Baldwin-Wallace (4-2), each 3-2 in conference play. The Crusaders, 6-0 overall, share first place with top-ranked Mount Union, each 5-0 in the OAC.

“Capital’s defense is as impressive as any defense I have seen as a coach at the Division III level,” Loth said. “Teams are averaging 19 yards a game rushing against them.

“Offensively, Capital has done a tremendous job of overcoming injuries and performing as one of the top offenses in the country,” Loth added.

The Crusaders sit second in the OAC in total defense (143.8 yards a game) and fourth behind Otterbein in total offense (344.3 yards a game). The Cardinals are averaging 371.8 yards of offense a game.

Last Saturday in Columbus, Capital broke open a close game—trailing Ohio Northern, 6-3—with three touchdown passes of 11, 23 and 31 yards from quarterback Wade Bartholomew, a junior from Williamsport, over the final 18 minutes of the game. Capital tallied three interceptions in the win with two coming from free safety C.J. Steele, a junior from Hilliard.

Otterbein, meanwhile, made it five wins in a row over Heidelberg to extend its Rhine River Cup series lead to 10-5-1 last Saturday in Westerville. Heidelberg and Otterbein played the first college football game in Germany, which ended in a draw, 7-7, in Frankfurt in 1992.

Wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview High School), turned in a career day against the Berg, tallying 11 receptions for 160 yards (both career highs), including one touchdown, a two-point conversion, and a blocked extra-point attempt. He made receptions of 8, 24 and 14 yards in Otterbein’s 10 play, 58-yard drive for the game-winning touchdown with 27 seconds to play.

”When we really needed plays at the end of both halves, Scott delivered for us,” Loth said.

Otterbein quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), completed 17 of 24 pass attempts for 196 yards, including two touchdowns, and rushed for 101 yards and one touchdown in just his second start this season. Running back Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), rushed for 131 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Capital leads the all-time series, 41-37-3, which began with a 60-0 Otterbein win in 1894. That win, however, is not officially recognized by Capital, who claims the series actually began in 1927 with a 39-6 Otterbein victory, making the series record 41-36-3.

Cards Retain Rhine River Cup in Wild Finish
Written Oct. 13, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (3-3, 3-2) defeated Heidelberg (2-4, 1-4) by a score of 34-31 in the battle for the Rhine River Cup Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

In a game full of offense, it was Otterbein who came through when they needed it most, scoring at the end of the second and fourth quarters. 

In front of a near sold-out crowd, sophomore quarterback Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) pleased the OC faithful, going 4 of 6 for 50 yards and also converting on a critical fourth-and-inches to keep Otterbein’s hopes alive on their final drive of the game.  Rafferty threaded a 4-yard pass through the Berg defense to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Rowley (Grove City) with 27 seconds remaining for a Cardinal touchdown.  After a successful 2-point conversion, the Cards had a 34-31 lead and the eventual win. 

Heidelberg got on the board first, but the Cardinals struck back quickly with a 12-yard run by Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman). After a two-yard TD pass by Steve West put Heidelberg up 13-7 (PAT blocked); Otterbein used a 10 play, 70-yard drive capped off by sophomore running back Eric Yates’ (Dublin/Scioto) one-yard TD run to put OC up 14-13 with 13:31 remaining in the second quarter. 

Heidelberg responded with a 27-yard field goal before a 34-yard field goal by senior Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis) gave Otterbein the lead again, 17-16, with 5:17 to go in the first half.

After a 43-yard pass to senior Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) gave OC the ball on the Heidelberg five-yard line with four seconds remaining in the first half, Rafferty hit DeLong again, this time on a five-yard strike to give the Cards a 23-16 lead.  The extra point by Otterbein was blocked by Heidelberg and taken back 100 yards by Charlie Peffley to give the Student Princes two points to end the half with Otterbein leading 23-18.

Offensively, Rafferty was 17 of 24 for 196 yards and two touchdowns.  DeLong finished with 11 catches for 160 yards and one touchdown.

For the second consecutive week, the Cardinals featured two 100- yard rushers.  Yates led the way with 131 yards and one touchdown while Rafferty finished with 101 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown.

Defensively, junior cornerback Tony Furr (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) led the team in tackles with nine.

Otterbein was 5 for 12 on third-down conversions and 2 for 3 on fourth-down attempts.  The teams combined for only five punts.  While the first half featured a combined 41 points, the team’s combined for only 24 points in the second half. 

With the win, Otterbein has won five consecutive meetings against the Berg.  The Cards also improved to 10-5-1 in the Rhine River Series.

Otterbein will remain at home next Saturday (Oct. 20) for a game against cross-town rival and sixth-ranked Capital (6-0, 5-0).  Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Cards Take on the Berg in the Battle for the Rhine River Cup
Written Oct. 11, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein continues Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play Saturday, hosting Heidelberg in the battle for the Rhine River Cup. Game time is set for 2 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. It will be Homecoming.

Heidelberg and Otterbein played the first college football game in Germany, which ended in a 7-7 tie in Frankfurt in 1992. The two teams have been playing for possession of the cup ever since. The Cardinals hold a 9-5-1 lead in the Rhine River series, having won eight of the last nine meetings, including the last four.

Both teams come into the game off wins—the Cardinals downing Wilmington, 58-41, on the road and Heidelberg, under first-year head coach Mike Hallett, stunning Baldwin-Wallace, 42-20, at home. Otterbein, 2-3 overall, sits in a three-way tie with John Carroll (3-2) and Baldwin-Wallace (3-2) for fourth place, each 2-2 in the OAC. The Berg, 2-3 overall, sits in a three-way tie for seventh place with a 1-3 conference record.

“Heidelberg has done a great job this season,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater. “You can see the talent and effort on the game film.

”They completely shut down Baldwin-Wallace offensively, and were able to run and pass,” Loth continued. “They are not only the most improved team in the conference, they are one of the better teams in the conference.”

The Berg, winless over the last three seasons, out-scored Baldwin-Wallace, 28-10, over the final 17 minutes of play to win its first OAC game since 2003. B-W came into the contest ranked 17th by d3football.com.

Quarterback Steve West, a senior from Huron, threw for 229 yards and one touchdown on 16-of-23 passing, and rushed for 41 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Four different backs scored a rushing touchdown in the win.

Otterbein, meanwhile, rolled up 614 yards of offense (217 passing/397 rushing) in its win at Wilmington.

“Our offense at Wilmington was really efficient,” Loth said. “We were able to both run and throw the ball effectively. We now need to establish a weekly consistency on offense."

Jack Rafferty, making his first start at quarterback, threw two touchdown passes and ran for another two scores. The quarterback, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman), completed 10 of 15 pass attempts for 217 yards, and rushed for 136 yards on 19 carries. He was named OAC Offensive Player of the Week.

“Jack played extremely well,” Loth said. “He does a nice job of decision making and moving the offense.”

Fullback Eric Yates, a sophomore from Dublin (Scioto), turned in a career performance, rushing for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries. His TD’s came on runs of 57, 14 and one yards.

OAC Names Rafferty Player of the Week on Offense
Written Oct. 9, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Quarterback Jack Rafferty, a sophomore from Columbus (Dublin Coffman High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “offensive football player of the week”, the OAC released Monday.

Rafferty, making his first start as a Cardinal, threw for two touchdowns and ran for another two scores in a 58-41 win at Wilmington last Saturday. The quarterback completed 10 of 15 pass attempts for 217 yards, including scoring strikes of 33 and 20 yards to wide receiver Scott DeLong, a senior from Van Wert (Crestview). He threw no interceptions in the win.

Rafferty also rushed for 136 yards on 19 carries, including touchdown runs of 13 and two yards.

In what might be a conference first, Rafferty becomes the second Otterbein quarterback this season to earn OAC player of the week honors.  Quarterback Paul Stelzer, a senior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes), took the honor after leading the Cardinals to a 41-23 win at Marietta Sept. 22.

WILMINGTON, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (2-3, 2-2) defeated Wilmington College (1-4, 1-3) by a score of 58-41 Saturday in Wilmington.

The Cards used a balanced attack in the victory, but did most of their damage on the ground, as they ran for a season high 397 yards.  Sophomore QB Jack Rafferty (Columbus/Dublin Coffman) stole the show with 361 yards of total offense and three touchdowns.  The Columbus native was 10 of 15 through the air for 217 yards and one touchdown and gained 144 yards on the ground adding two more touchdowns.

Otterbein scored on its first five possessions to build a 31-13 with 9:18 to play in the first half.  Rafferty hit senior wide receiver Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) on a 33-yard strike to put the Cards up 7-0 on the team’s first possession.  After a Wilmington touchdown (PAT failed), Freshman kicker Alek Shirvanian (Dearborn Heights, Mich./Annapolis) knocked through a 28-yard field goal to put Otterbein up 10-6.  Sophomore running back Eric Yates (Dublin/Scioto) then shredded through the Quaker defense on a 57-yard run on the team’s next possession to put Otterbein up 17-6.  Rafferty added a touchdown on a two-yard scamper to give the Cards their only points of the second quarter and a 31-13 lead.  Wilmington added two touchdowns at the end of the half to cut the Cardinal lead to 31-27.

After forcing Wilmington to punt on their first possession of the second half, OC scored 17 unanswered points after two touchdown runs by Yates and a 33-yard field goal by Shirvanian gave the Cards a 48-27 lead with one quarter to be played.

Wilmington opened up the scoring in the fourth quarter with a touchdown to cut the lead to 48-34.  OC then answered with 10 points of their own; a 20-yard touchdown reception by DeLong and 23-yard field goal by Shirvanian. Wilmington added a late touchdown, but it was too late as Otterbein sealed the victory by the score of 58-41.

DeLong had his second 100-yard receiving game of the season with six catches, 140 yards, two touchdowns and a 23.3 rec/avg.  Yates had a career-best 212 yards on 22 carries and three touchdowns.

Otterbein’s 58 points were the teams most since a 65-35 victory over Heidelberg in 2005.

Otterbein will return home for the next two weeks beginning with a homecoming game against Heidelberg (2-3, 1-3) next Saturday (Oct. 13) in Memorial Stadium.  Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Cards Fall to 11th-Ranked Polar Bears
Written Sept. 29, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (1-3, 1-2) fell to No. 11 Ohio Northern (4-0, 3-0) by a score of 27-14 Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

The Polar Bears opened up the scoring when quarterback Jeff Pankratz hit Brook Crawford on a 15-yard TD pass with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter.  Cornerback Steve Gunter gave ONU good field position after a 24-yard interception return put the ball on the OC 28-yard line.  The extra point failed after a botched snap, leaving the score 6-0.

After a 49-yard punt return by Michael Busch, putting ONU on the Otterbein 33-yard line, running back R.J. Meadows scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 26-yard run.  Meadows added the two-point conversion to put the Polar Bears up 14-0.

A blocked punt by Steven Gunter gave ONU the ball on the Otterbein 14-yard line and Pankratz found Meadows wide open in the flat for a 14-yard strike with 12:34 remaining, giving ONU a 21-0 lead.

With 4:29 remaining in the first half, Jake Heaphy added a 40-yard field goal to put ONU up 24-0.  Heaphy added another field goal of 27 yards to end the half with ONU leading 27-0.

After being shutout in the first half, Otterbein got on the board quickly with 12:36 remaining in the third quarter.  Otterbein started off with great field position after a 48-yard kickoff return by senior Josh Bope (Plain City/Jonathan Alder) to put the Cards on the ONU 39-yard line. After two pass interference penalties gave OC good field position, junior fullback Eric Yates (Dublin/Scioto) scored on a 2-yard TD run.  The touchdown was the first of the season for Yates.

With 4:17 remaining in the third quarter, senior quarterback Paul Stelzer (Delaware/Hayes) found sophomore tight end Michael Detwiler (Westfield Center/Cloverleaf) on a screen pass that the sophomore ran 15 yards after the catch for an Otterbein touchdown.

Offensively for the Cardinals, Stelzer finished 13 of 29 for 111 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.  Yates finished with 47 yards on eight carries and one touchdown.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior defensive back Justin Ross (Canal Winchester) led the team with 11 tackles, while sophomore defensive back Austin Weaver (Dublin/Coffman) recorded the lone sack for the Cards.

Cards Host 11th-Ranked Polar Bears
Written Sept. 26, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein hosts 11th-ranked Ohio Northern, 7 p.m., Saturday in an Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matchup.

Ohio Northern, 3-0 overall, sits in a four-way tie with 10th-ranked Baldwin-Wallace, top-ranked Mount Union and 7th-ranked Capital atop the OAC, each 2-0 in league play. The Cardinals, 1-2 overall, share fifth place with John Carroll, each 1-1 in the OAC.

Otterbein, under head coach Joe Loth, who is in his fifth season at his alma mater, rolled to a 41-23 win at Marietta last Saturday. The offense, led by senior quarterback Paul Stelzer, tallied 593 yards in the game, 423 yards through the air.

“We, obviously, played our best game of the year,” Loth said. “We need to build on that performance.”

Stelzer, who was named OAC Player of the Week on offense, threw five touchdown strikes in the first half, three to senior wide receiver Scott DeLong, and finished with 394 yards and five TD’s, both career highs, on 26-of-44 passing. DeLong made 10 receptions for 155 yards and three TD’s, all career highs. Senior running back Tyrone Morgan added 104 rushing yards on eight carries.

“Paul played an outstanding football game,” Loth said. “His ability to throw the deep ball really opened up the ball game for us.”

Although the Cardinal defense yielded 408 yards, they forced four turnovers, including three interceptions, in the win. Senior cornerback Tony Furr made two late fourth-quarter picks in the Otterbein end zone. Junior strong safety John Wahler and junior middle linebacker Eric Burnsides made nine tackles each. Whaler forced a fumble and recovered a fumble.

The Polar Bears, under head coach Dean Paul, who is in his fourth season at Ohio Northern, set a school record for pass sacks, 10, on their way to a 23-13 win over John Carroll last Saturday in Ada. Northern led 23-0 entering the fourth quarter.

Senior middle linebacker Lenny Trusnik made 10 stops, including 2.5 pass sacks, to earn OAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. The Polar Bears forced five turnovers in the game.

Junior running back R. J. Meadows scored twice on a pair of one-yard runs, finishing with 68 yards on 20 carries. Sophomore wide receiver Ben Wittwer caught eight passes for 108 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown reception from junior quarterback Jeff Pankratz.

Ohio Northern opened the 2007 season with a 42-0 win over Millikin at home Sept. 8 then defeated Muskingum, 27-9, on the road Sept. 15.

“ONU has one of the top-ranked defenses in the conference,” Loth said. “We need to be able to both run and throw the football this week to be successful.”

Following Ohio Northern, the Cardinals travel to Wilmington next Saturday while Ohio Northern hosts two-time defending national champion Mount Union. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

OAC Names Stelzer Player of the Week
Written Sept. 24, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Quarterback Paul Stelzer, a senior from Delaware (Rutherford B. Hayes High School), was named Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) “offensive football player of the week”, the OAC released today.

Stelzer threw for five touchdowns and a career-high 394 yards on 26-of-46 passing in a 41-23 OAC win at Marietta last Saturday.  He threw touchdown passes of 5, 36, 5, 13 and 50 yards. Stelzer has now thrown five touchdown passes in three games over his career at Otterbein.

The quarterback came close to breaking Otterbein’s single-game passing records of six touchdowns and 427 yards.

MARIETTA, OHIO―The Otterbein Cardinals (1-2, 1-1) defeated the Marietta Pioneers (0-3, 0-2) Saturday in Marietta, Ohio by a score of 41-23. 

Quarterback Paul Stelzer, a senior from Delaware (Hayes High School), was 26 of 44 and set career highs in passing yards with 394 and touchdowns with five.   

Senior wide receiver Scott DeLong (Van Wert/Crestview) had 10 catches for 155 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. 

Senior running back Tyrone Morgan, from Columbus (Northland), led the rushing attack with 104 yards on 13 carries (8.0 avg.).

Otterbein got off to a quick 14-0 lead after touchdown passes of 5 and 36 yards from Stelzer to DeLong.  With three more touchdown passes in the second quarter, all to different receivers, fullback Brady Collins (Galena/Olentangy), sophomore wide receiver Dan Gendron (Newport, Mich./Jefferson) and a 50-yard pass to DeLong put the Cardinals up 34-10 at the half.

The Cardinals lone touchdown of the second half came from a 30-yard pass from sophomore running back Colton Coy (Chillicothe/Adena) to sophomore wide receiver Ryan Rowley (Grove City).

On the defensive side of the ball, Otterbein’s leading tacklers were junior defensive back John Wahler (Huber Heights/Wayne) and junior linebacker Eric Burnsides (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) with nine tackles each. The Cards forced four turnovers − three interceptions and one fumble recovery and added two sacks.

Junior defensive back Tony Furr (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) added two interceptions to give him a team-leading three on the season.

Otterbein was 8 of 16 on third-down conversions and 2 for 4 on fourth-down.

The Cardinals defeated Marietta for the third-consecutive year, and with the win, tied the overall series with the Pioneers at 40-40.

The 41 points are the highest since the team put up 47 against Wilmington in 2005. The 593 total yards of offense was the teams highest total in four years as their last 500-plus yard (522) effort came in 2003 against Wilmington in a 30-21 victory.

Cardinals Fall to No.1 ranked Mount Union 
Written Sept. 15, 2007 by Don Middleton

ALLIANCE, OHIO —The Otterbein Cardinals (0-2, 0-1) fell to No. 1 ranked Mount Union (2-0, 1-0) Saturday in Alliance, Ohio by a score of 58-14.

The Purple Raiders used a balanced attack to wear down the Otterbein defense as they threw for 443 yards and added another 284 yards on the ground. Quarterback Greg Micheli completed 84 percent of his passes (22-26) and threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns.  Running back Nate Kmic led the way rushing with 126 yards on 13 carries and found the end zone three times.

After being shut out for the first three quarters, Otterbein got on the board with two touchdown strikes to wide receiver Scott DeLong from quarterback Paul Stelzer, who completed 9 of 19 pass attempts for 110 yards. DeLong led the Cardinals offense with 97 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Free safety Justin Ross made 12 tackles, four unassisted, to lead the defense.

Otterbein was 3-10 on third-down conversions and was outgained in total offense 727-149.

The Cardinals last win against Mount Union came in 1977 when they defeated the Purple Raiders 24-17 in Alliance. 

The Cardinals hit the road again next weekend (Sept. 22) as they travel to Marietta, Ohio to take on the Pioneers (0-2, 0-1) from Marietta College. Game time is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Cards Comeback Falls Short
Written Sept. 8, 2007 by Don Middleton

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein Cardinals (0-1) fell to Defiance College (1-1) in its season opener Saturday at Memorial Stadium. After trailing 16-0 in the third quarter, Otterbein’s comeback came up short, falling 16-14.

In a gme full of penalties (251 yards combined), Defiance’s Luke Dillon stole the show, setting a Defiance school record with 258 receiving yards and 17 receptions.

After a 2-hour and 55-minute weather delay that saw heavy rains and lightning, Defiance got on the board first. On its second possession, Hans Vetter connected with Dillon for 39 yards that put the Yellow Jackets on the Otterbein 2-yard line.  Running back Lewis Caralla punched it in the end zone on the next play to give Defiance a 7-0 lead. A 40-yard field goal with 8:26 remaining in the first half gave Defiance a 10-0 advantage.  The Cardinals trailed by a score of 13-0 at halftime and were outgained in total yards, 259-76.

Otterbein opened up the second half with a 46-yard kickoff return to the Defiance 34-yard line but failed to score after missing a 40-yard field goal.

In the third quarter, a 12 play, 62-yard drive for Defiance ended with a 36-yard field goal to increase their lead to 16-0.  After a pass interference penalty and a 29-yard pass to Ryan Rowley that put the Cardinals on the Defiance 1-yard line, quarterback Jack Rafferty got Otterbein on the board with a draw play up the middle. A pass to wide receiver Scott DeLong completed the 2-pt conversion for Otterbein to pull within eight, 16-8.

Rafferty added his second rushing touchdown of the game with 8:13 remaining in the fourth quarter to pull Otterbein within two, 16-14.  The Cardinals 2-point conversion failed as Rafferty’s pass took receiver DeLong out of bounds.

The win for Defiance was its first against Otterbein in their four-year non-conference meetings. Otterbein was outgained in total offense 443-251 and was only 1-12 on third-down conversions.

Cards Host Defiance in Home Opener
Written Sept. 5, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein opens the 2007 campaign with the Yellow Jackets of Defiance College in a nonconference matchup Saturday, 7 p.m.,  in Memorial Stadium. The Jackets are a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Saturday’s meeting marks the end of the current four-game series with the Yellow Jackets, which began in 2004. Otterbein will play Bethany (WV) the next two seasons in its only out-of-conference game.

“It’s been a good series,” said Otterbein head coach Joe Loth, who is beginning his fifth season at his alma mater. “Defiance is a good football team. They went 7-3 last year, and should be good again this season.”

Defiance, under fourth-year head coach Robert Taylor, comes into the game off a 35-9 nonconference loss to Adrian last Saturday in Defiance. Adrian scored the game’s first 20 points before Defiance quarterback Hans Vetter hooked up with wide receiver Luke Dillon for a 39-yard score with 5:05 remaining in the first half. The Yellow Jackets suffered five turnovers in the loss.

Otterbein, meanwhile, returns 43 lettermen, including six starters on offense and five on defense, from last season’s 4-6 squad. 

“I feel real good right now,” Loth said earlier this week about his team’s preparation for the new season. “Our scrimmage (against Bethany last Saturday) went about as well as I thought it would. We just have to build off that.

“We have a real good bunch of kids,” Loth added. “They are working real hard.”

Senior quarterback Paul Stelzer, who missed the last four games of 2006 due to injury, returns to lead the offense. Stelzer averaged 137 passing yards a game, throwing for 13 touchdowns last season. In 2005, he threw for 2,593 yards and 21 TDs, leading the Cardinals to a 7-3 mark.       

Other key returnees on offense include senior wide receivers Josh Bope (42 rec./521 yds.), an honorable mention All-OAC pick last season, and Scott DeLong (40 rec./441 yds.); and senior running back Tyrone Morgan (101 att./429 yds.). DeLong led Otterbein in scoring with nine touchdown receptions.

Three-time Academic All-OAC free safety Justin Ross, a senior, returns to lead the defense. Ross, who received a medical redshirt for his junior season, led the Cards with three interceptions and averaged 5.3 tackles a game last season.

Otterbein leads Defiance, 5-2, in the all-time series that began in 1923. The Cardinals have won the last three meetings, including a 25-13 decision at Defiance in 2006.

Kieran Johnson Named Team MVP
Written Jan. 23, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—The Otterbein football coaching staff named linebacker Kieran Johnson “most valuable” and defensive end Tyler Evans and cornerback Andy Horvath as co-recipients of the Harry W. Ewing award, presented to the player who best exhibits commitment, hard work and pride.

Johnson, a junior from Columbus (Brookhaven High School), Evans, a senior from Oak Hill, and Horvath, a senior from Springfield (Southeastern), as well as the rest of the members of the 2006 football team were honored at the annual award’s banquet held last Sunday on the campus of Otterbein College.

Seventy-two players were awarded letters. 

Other players earning team honors were: Doug Tima, a senior offensive tackle from Bucyrus, “offensive line player of the year”; Josh Bope, a junior wide receiver from Plain City (Jonathan Alder), “offensive skill player of the year”; Matt Lisi, a defensive tackle from Columbus (Upper Arlington), “defensive front six player of the year”; Justin Ross, a senior free safety from Canal Winchester, “defensive secondary player of the year”; and Brady Collins, a freshman fullback from Galena (Olentangy), “special teams player of the year”.

For additional information, see below:

Kieran Johnson—Named first team All-OAC and second team Football Gazette All-North Region in 2006. Led the OAC with 97 tackles, including 9.5 for a loss of 46 yards. He tallied five pass sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and made one interception.

Tyler Evans—Named second team All-OAC. Made 57 stops and led the team in tackles for a loss, with 15.5. He tallied 8.5 pass sacks for a loss of 55 yards.

Andy Horvath—Collected 22 tackles, 18 unassisted, and two interceptions in 2006.

Doug Tima—Named first team All-OAC and “offensive lineman of the week” four times this season by the Otterbein football coaching staff.

Josh Bope—Named honorable mention All-OAC. Led Otterbein with 42 receptions for 521 yards despite missing two games due to injury. Bope made four touchdown receptions.

Matt Lisi—Named first team All-OAC, third team Football Gazette All-North Region, and third team D3football.com All-North Region. Made 47 tackles, including 21 unassisted. Lisi tallied nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a loss 24 yards.

Justin Ross—Named game MVP twice in 2006 by the Otterbein football coaching staff. Team’s fifth-leading tackler, with 52. Made three interceptions.

Brady Collins—Named “special teams player of the week” twice by the Otterbein football coaching staff. Made 10 tackles.

Six Named to All-OAC Teams
Written Nov. 21, 2006 by Ed Syguda

AUSTINTOWN, OHIO—Six members of the Otterbein football team earned All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) honors, the OAC released today.

Doug Tima

Named to the first team were offensive tackle Doug Tima, a senior from Bucyrus, defensive tackle Matt Lisi, a senior from Columbus (Upper Arlington High School), and linebacker Kieran Johnson, a junior from Columbus (Brookhaven).

This marks the first time that Tima, a four-letterman, has made the All-OAC squad. The three-year starter was named “offensive lineman of the week” four times this season by the Otterbein football coaching staff.

Lisi, a three-time All-OAC performer, made 47 tackles, including 21 unassisted this season. He tallied nine tackles behind the line of scrimmage for a loss 24 yards. A four-year letterman, Lisi was named to the honorable mention All-OAC team as a freshman, and to the second team his junior season.

Matt Lisi

Johnson, who led the OAC in tackles in both 2005 and 2006, repeats on the first team. The three-year letterman collected 97 tackles, including 9.5 for a loss of 46 yards this season. He tallied five pass sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and made one interception.

Named to the second team was defensive end Tyler Evans, a senior from Oak Hill. Evans, a three-year letterman, is making his first appearance on the All-OAC team. The defensive end made 57 stops and led the team in tackles for a loss, with 15.5, this season. He tallied 8.5 pass sacks for a loss of 55 yards.

Kieran Johnson

Named to the honorable mention team were defensive end Mike King, a junior from Dresden (Tri-Valley), and wide receiver Josh Bope, a junior from Plain City (Jonathan Alder).

King, a two-time All-OAC performer, recorded 45 tackles, including eight for a loss of 50 yards this year. The three-year letterman made 4.5 pass sacks, forced three fumbles and broke up five passes. King earned second team All-OAC honors as a sophomore.

Tima and Ross Named to Academic All-District Teams
Written Nov. 9, 2006 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Two members of the Otterbein football team were named to 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV teams as selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), released today by CoSIDA.

Offensive tackle Doug Tima, a senior from Bucyrus, and free safety Justin Ross, a senior from Canal Winchester, were selected to the second team.

Tima, majoring in physical science/secondary education, is a three-year starter. He is serving a term as vice chair of the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ross, majoring in business administration, sits fourth among teammates with 49 tackles, 27 unassisted, this season. The three-year starter has two interceptions.         

Academic All-District IV team members are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. District IV encompasses the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.