ST. LOUIS - Three Missouri State football players were among 42 recognized by the Missouri Valley Conference on Tuesday (Nov. 30) with the release of the league's annual All-Academic Team.
MSU offensive linemen David Arkin and Erik Dahl were joined by punter Jordan Chiles on the team. All nominees for the award must be starters or key reserves with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale).
Arkin (Sr., OL, Wichita, Kan.) who was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN Academic All-American second team last week, landed on the MVFC's all-academic squad for the fourth straight year and second season as a first-team selection. He was announced Monday as a first-team All-MVFC player for the second year in a row and is contention for a number of All-America teams. He has a 3.72 grade-point average in construction management.
Chiles (Jr., P, Hillsboro, Ill.) was named to the All-Academic second team. He holds a 3.46 GPA in exercise and movement science and completed his third season as the Bears' starting punter. This season, he averaged 38.3 yards per punt, including three kicks of 50 yards or more and 13 downed inside the opponents' 20-yard line. He was also a perfect 33-for-33 on extra points in 2010 to finish third on the squad in scoring with 48 points. He was an honorable mention All-MVFC and honorable mention MVFC All-Academic pick in 2009.
Dahl (Sr., OC, Olathe, Kan.) earned honorable mention all-academic selection with his 3.38 GPA in accounting. He was the Bears' starting center for all 22 games of his career. Along with Arkin, he helped MSU average 425.5 yards total offense, 214.2 rushing yards, and 30.4 points per game, all of which ranked in the top 24 nationally.
The Bears will depart with 20 seniors - including Arkin and Dahl -- from a 5-6 squad that finished 4-4 in the MVFC to tie for third in the nine-team league. MSU was 5-0 at Plaster Field this season to post its first unbeaten home season since 1992 and defeated three ranked opponents this season, including two NCAA Division I playoff qualifiers.
The team's annual awards banquet will take place at JQH Arena on Sunday, Dec. 12.
