Official CoSIDA Release
INDIANAPOLIS – Hillsdale and Ashland each had student-athletes earn a spot on the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Team for the 2021 regular season.
Representing Super Region 1 on the first team in Division II was Hillsdale offensive lineman Cole Johnson, Ashland offensive lineman Gavin Posey, Hillsdale linebacker Alex Anschutz and Hillsdale defensive Back Joe Schneider.
Johnson is a senior majoring in Financial Management with a 3.38 cumulative GPA. Posey is also a senior who is majoring in Accounting with a 3.88 GPA. Both seniors, Anschutz has posted a 3.86 GPA while majoring in Chemistry, and Schneider checks in with a 3.34 GPA studying Sports Management.
Hillsdale is preparing for its first appearance in the America’s Crossroads Bowl Game this weekend against Truman State. Johnson, Anschutz and Schneider, each played a vital role in the program’s success for the 2021 campaign while earning an additional postseason opportunity to represent the league in Hobart, Ind.
Anschutz was a first team all-conference selection by the coaches at a deep linebacking corps that featured the league’s overall player of the year and defensive player of the year.
The numbers for Anschutz rivaled just about everyone as he finished second among all players in total tackles with 106. He averaged 9.6 stops per game, forced a fumble and added four tackles for a loss, two interceptions and broke up five pass attempts. Anschutz was a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in the delayed 2020-21 spring season as well.
Johnson is a back-to-back first team all-conference pick while serving as a positional standout along the offensive line. At 6-5 and nearly 300 pounds, the Grand Ledge, Mich., product is a road grader in the run game and helps pass protect for his quarterback, as the Chargers revolved through a committee under center this season.
Schneider was tabbed defensive player of the week in Week 5 after he recorded a pair of interceptions for the Chargers in the team’s upset over Tiffin. The ball hawking DB was also among the league leaders in picks with four and he was credited with 52 total tackles and nine pass breakups.
Posey also is established as a previous CoSIDA Academic All-American while earning second-team status in 2020-21. Even though the season was canceled due to COVID-19, Posey was a mainstay for an offensive unit in the fall of 2021 that led the league in rushing at over 221 yards per game.
All four individuals are now eligible in the next step of voting for CoSIDA Academic All-American honors.