April 29, 2009

CLEVELAND -- Andrew Berry, a senior defensive back from Harvard University, and Ryan Berry, a senior quarterback from South Dakota State University have been chosen as the recipients of the Eighth Annual Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Scholar-Athletes of the Year. Each will receive a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship. The duo was selected from a group of six finalists. They will receive their awards during the FCS ADA luncheon on Thursday, June 18 at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention at the World Center Marriott Resort in Orlando, Florida.

“The FCS ADA is proud to continue recognizing deserving student-athletes with postgraduate scholarships,” said FCS ADA President Tim Van Alstine, chair of the Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and athletics director at Western Illinois University. “Our association looks forward to honoring these deserving student-athletes at our annual luncheon in June.”

There were a total of 43 FCS players selected to the Academic All-Star Team in December, six of which were nominated for the postgraduate scholarships. Nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate 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. They must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.

Andrew Berry is set to do something that is unprecedented at Harvard for a student-athlete - graduate in four years with both a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in computer science. Berry started 33 straight games at defensive back for the Crimson and was a three-time first team All-Ivy League pick. In 2008, Berry finished the season with three interceptions, nine passes defended and 43 total tackles, 17 solo stops. He was a finalist for the Draddy Trophy, as well as the John Wooden Citizenship Cup, which goes to the nation’s most outstanding role model student-athlete. Berry was a two-time ESPN The Magazine first team Academic All-American. Off the field, Berry is the director of the Cambridge Youth Enrichment Program, which mentors inner city youths and low-income families. He also coordinates a program with the football team that has each player completing one community service project each semester.

Ryan Berry, a biology/pre-med major, was a Draddy Trophy finalist and an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District player in 2008. Leading the team on the field, Berry averaged 275.1 yards passing per game. He threw 248 completions for 3,026 yards and 29 touchdowns for the Jackrabbits. He led the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) in passing yards, touchdowns and total offense. He set MVFC and school records with seven touchdown passes against Illinois State. He also holds single-season and career records for completions, attempts and touchdown passes at South Dakota State. Berry plans on attending medical school after graduation.

A special Review Committee of Football Championship Subdivision athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were Greg Burke, Northwestern State; Peter Fields, Montana State; Marilyn McNeil, Monmouth; Ron Strollo, Youngstown State; Tim Van Alstine, Western Illinois (chair); and Donny White, Virginia Military Institute.

About the FCS ADA: Now in its 16th year, the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association’s mission is to enhance Football Championship Subdivision football. For more information on the FCS ADA, please visit http://www.fcsada.com. The FCS ADA is administered by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), which is in its 44th year. For more information on NACDA and the 11 professional associations that fall under its umbrella, please visit www.nacda.com.