Editor’s note: MSUB version.

PORTLAND, Ore. – A program record, 14 male soccer players from Montana State University Billings have won academic honors from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference for the fall 2021 season, the conference office said on Wednesday.

The MSUB winners included five repeat winners and nine first-time varsity team selections from all conferences. Players must be at least their second season in the program and maintain a GPA of at least 3.20 to be eligible for the award.

“We are very happy with the work our players did last year in the classroom,” said MSUB head coach Thomas Chameraud. “Achieving the highest possible GPA is one of our team’s goals, and the fact that 14 of the 17 eligible players achieve all-GNAC Academic is an outstanding performance from our team. The goal is always for every member of our team to receive this award, so we still have some work to do, but we couldn’t be more proud of the performance of our players in the classroom. It sets an example for our current players and future rookies that we take classroom work very seriously. “

Fifth-year senior captain Luca Battistotti highlighted the list, receiving the academic honor for the fourth time in his career. The management major, who holds a cumulative GPA of 3.80, was one of 5 players in the conference to be honored for an unprecedented fourth time in their careers. Battistotti started 10 games this fall with the Yellowjackets defensive unit and is averaging 90.5 minutes per game.

Fourth-year Yellowjackets Bryan Maxwell, Austin Shafer and Brady Tesch each won the Academic Award for the third time in their careers. Maxwell started 10 of 11 games on the defensive unit, averaging 89 minutes per game and one goal. He is a graduate in health and human performance with a cumulative GPA of 3.60.

Shafer has scored two goals in his 10 games this season as a team forward. He graduated in health and human performance with a cumulative GPA of 3.44. Tesch has appeared in seven games with three starts and tallied an assist while playing primarily as a defenseman in his final year on the program. Tesch has a GPA of 3.66 and also specializes in human health and performance.

The other recipient of the MSUB award was fourth-year junior Pascal Pisarek, who won academic honors for the second consecutive season. Pisarek is a management major with a 3.45 GPA and has played in all 11 games with eight starts remaining in the defensive unit.

Fourth-year Yellowjacket Marvin Putu took home his first academic award, raising his GPA to 3.20 while working on his marketing degree. The France international has made seven appearances and leads the team with four assists during the fall.

Kolten Unrein led the Yellowjackets with a 3.98 GPA, and he and fellow third-year Jacob Holtz each received the honor for the first time. Unrein is majoring in chemistry, while Holtz has a GPA of 3.37 while studying history.

Senior Brad Lowes won the award in his first year of eligibility, with a cumulative GPA of 3.75 while in management studies. Lowes was instrumental in uniting the midfield, starting all 11 games and averaging 82.9 minutes per game. Edgar Ramirez graduated in Psychology with a GPA of 3.53 and also won the award in his first year of eligibility. Ramirez played eight games with two starts and contributed one goal to the Yellowjacket’s offense.

MSUB’s top scorer Halil Yilmaz also won academic honors with a cumulative GPA of 3.66 while studying management. Yilmaz is second in the conference with nine goals scored and had two hat tricks this fall. Third-year Yellowjacket Tybalt Thornberry was on the list, with a GPA of 3.30 while studying special education. Thornberry has appeared in 10 games with seven starts on the defensive unit.

Freshmen Jayse Judkins and Ty Vohland have also been named each to the squad, having made their debut with the ‘Jackets’ during the coronavirus-shortened 2020-21 season. Judkins has made eight appearances with two starts and collected one assist in midfield. He is a graduate in management and has a cumulative GPA of 3.46. Vohland has seen the time in two games and is a health and human performance major with a cumulative GPA of 3.93.

The Yellowjackets (3-7-1, 1-4 GNAC) are out this week midway through the conference season. The team’s next game is on October 30 at home against 7th Seattle Pacific University. The program’s previous record for all-GNAC academic selections was nine, set in the Yellowjackets’ first GNAC campaign in 2007.