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Hobart’s Lyon, Kowalski Earn Academic All-America® Honors

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The Hobart football team placed two scholar-athletes on the 2024 Division III Academic All-America® teams selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC). Junior punter Vicente Lyon (Yorktown/Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) was one of 25 first-team honorees while senior offensive lineman Ethan Kowalski (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.) secured a spot on the 26-man second team.

A computer science and management and entrepreneurial studies major, Lyon is a two-time Liberty League All-Academic team selection.

On the field, Lyon led the Liberty League and ranked fourth in the nation in punting average, posting a Hobart season record 43.6 yards per punt. He was named to the AP All-America first team, the D3football.com All-America third team and the All-Liberty League first team.

Lyon earned a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week three times and was the Liberty League Special Teams Performer of the Week three times this season. He enjoyed his best game statistically during Hobart’s 16-7 win over Ithaca. Lyon’s Hobart game record 65.0 yards per punt average that day included the longest punt in program history, an 86-yarder. It was the longest punt in NCAA football this year. Lyon boomed 10 punts this season that traveled 50 or more yards and pinned the opposition inside its own 20-yard line 10 times.

Lyon is just the third Hobart football player to be named to the first team, joining Brian Monaco ’10 (2008, 2009) and Michael Green ’14 (2013). Lyon is the first Statesman special teams player to be an Academic All-American.

Ethan Kowalski (photo: HWS Athletics)

Kowalski is majoring in economics and management and entrepreneurial studies. He was a semifinalist for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy, the top academic award in college football. Kowalski is a three-time CSC Academic All-District honoree and a three-time Liberty League All-Academic Team pick. Additionally, he is a two-time recipient of Hobart’s Arnold Scholar-Athlete Award.

A starter in all 11 games this season, Kowalski earned first-team All-Liberty League and first-team D3football.com All-Region accolades. The guard led an offensive line that ranked 13th in the nation in tackles for loss allowed (3.55/g) and led the Liberty League in sacks allowed (1.09/g). Hobart was second in the Liberty League in rushing offense (159.8 yds/g) as Kowalski helped clear the way for the conference’s only 1,000-yard rusher.

Kowalski is the fourth Statesman offensive lineman to be named an Academic All-American joining Josh Van Auken ’05 (2004), Monaco, and Green (2012, 2013).

Hobart went 9-2 this season, winning the Liberty League with a perfect 6-0 record. The Statesmen earned their 11th NCAA playoff bid, facing No. 6 Susquehanna in the second round. After a slow start, Hobart rallied but ultimately fell to the River Hawks 42-35. The Statesmen received votes in both the final AFCA poll and the D3football.com Top 25.

To be nominated for the Academic All-America teams, student-athletes must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and play in at least 90% of his team’s games or start at least 66% of his team’s games. CSC members nominate qualified student-athletes, who earn Academic All-District honors. A CSC committee advances the best nominees to the national Academic All-America ballot which is voted on the CSC membership.

One of the most selective awards programs recognizing both academic and athletic achievement, the Academic All-America teams honor the nation’s best scholar-athletes. Since baseball player Shawn Fazio ’81 became HWS’ first Academic All-American in 1979, HWS student-athletes have earned 73 Academic All-America awards.

Hobart football earned its first Academic All-American in 1997 (Erik Schiller ’98). The Statesmen have had eight gridiron greats earn 10 Academic All-America awards.

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