JACKSONVILLE—Four Jax State football players were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team this afternoon.
 
To be eligible, a student-athlete must have a 3.5 cumulative grade point average and be a starter or key reserve on their team.
 
Earning the honor were tight end Pearson Baldwin, quarterback Caden Creel, kicker Garrison Rippa, and defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo.
 
Baldwin was third on the team in receiving with 302 yards on 26 catches with a pair of touchdowns.
 
Creel was the team's second-leading rusher at 1,075 yards and seven touchdowns and completed 61% of his passes for 1,514 yards and nine touchdowns against just four interceptions. The Fairhope native was the MVP of the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl.
 
Rippa earned First-Team All-Conference USA honors with a league-high 21 field goals made which included four of 50+ yards. The redshirt sophomore from Locust Grove, Ga. hit two walk-off field goals to give his team wins over Sam Houston and Western Kentucky. Additionally, he was perfect on all 40 of his extra point attempts.
 
Oyebadejo also earned first-team honors with 41 total tackles, 6.5 for loss, 4.5 sacks, five pass breakups, and two forced fumbles.
 
Jax State won nine games for the fourth consecutive season and won their second bowl game in three years with a victory over Troy in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery.