CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) has named 54 student-athletes to the 27th Annual Academic All-Star Team. Drake's Finn Claypool and Shane Dunning represented the Bulldogs on this esteemed list.
 
Claypool and Dunning were both named to the Academic All-PFL First Team with credentials of a 3.44 GPA in Business Law and a 4.00 GPA in Business Administration, respectively.
 
The Pioneer Football League led the way with eight student-athletes placed on the 2024 All-Star Team, along with the United Athletic Conference with seven student-athletes and three conferences with six representatives each (Ivy League, Missouri Valley Football Conference and Ohio Valley Conference).
 
Current FCS ADA President, Mark Benson, Director of Athletics at University at Albany, stated, "These exceptional young men demonstrate excellence not only in their academic pursuits, but also through their dedication on the field. Annually, we have the privilege of reviewing and selecting remarkable leaders who represent the best of our division, and this year's candidates have continued the tradition. Congratulations to all the nominated student-athletes and to those selected."
 
Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) institutions are eligible for the award. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate or graduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. They must have reached their second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution.