CHICAGO – Three members from the No. 10 ranked Saint Xavier University football team (8-4, 5-0 MSFA Midwest) were named to the College Sports Communicators (CS) Academic All-District Football Team, NAIA Division, when the awards were announced on Tuesday, December 19. Senior kicker
Peyton Benes (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) and senior quarterback
Stuart Ross (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) are repeat winners, having earned the recognition last season, while senior linebacker
Ryan Fitzgerald (Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew) is a first-time honoree.
From the academicallamerica.com website: the Academic All-District team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom. CSC divides the honorees into four divisions – NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. By earning All-District, the winners advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. Those honorees for First-, Second- & Third-Team Academic All-America will be announced in January.
- Ross majors in Business Administration and has a 3.76 GPA away from the gridiron. In 10 games during the 2023 season, he threw for 2,114 yards and completed 66.5 percent (179-for-269) of his passes. Ross threw 26 touchdown passes, averaged 211.4 yards passing per game and had a quarterback rating of 160.73.
- Benes has a 3.73 GPA while majoring in Business Management. He set the program record for most extra points made in a season without a miss by going 46-for-46 and is just the second player in team history to make all of his point after attempts (min. 20). Benes also made 8-of-12 field goal attempts and finished second on the team in points scored with 70.
- Fitzgerald majors in Social Sciences/Secondary Education and has a 3.62 GPA. He started all 12 games for SXU and finished third on the team in tackles with 61 (26 solos). Fitzgerald had 5.0 tackles for loss for 22 yards, two forced fumbles, 1.0 sack for 10 yards and a quarterback hurry.
Full list of CSC Academic All-District:
