Central’s Herbers, Hawkins are CoSIDA Academic All-America® picks
PELLA—Two key performers on Central College’s record-setting football offense, wide receiver Jeff Herbers (junior, Urbandale, Des Moines Christian HS) and quarterback Blaine Hawkins (5th-year, Ankeny), were both named to the Division III Academic All-America® Division III football team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Each was a second-team selection. They were the only players chosen to the Division III team from an Iowa college.
It’s the fifth time in the past six years that the Dutch football team has had a player chosen. Central has now had athletes receive CoSIDA Academic All-America® recognition 66 times, including 19 times in football.
Herbers is an actuarial science major with a 3.95 grade point average while Hawkins carries a 3.58 GPA with majors in economics and business management. To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity contributor, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.30 or better and have reached sophomore standing. CoSIDA members first submit nominations s for a district team before selected nominees advance for consideration on the national squad.
Also an American Rivers Acacdemic All-Conference honoree, Herbers had 77 receptions for 1,151 yards and 16 touchdowns. He ranked fifth in the NCAA Division III in touchdown receptions and 11th in receiving yards as part of a Dutch offense that ranked first in the nation in total offense (570.1 yards) and passing offense (394.5 yards) and second in scoring offense (53.5).
Hawkins was a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy as the nation’s top football scholar-athlete as chosen by the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame. He was an academic all-conference pick as well.
A first-team AFCA Division III All-American, Hawkins is a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy as the Division III player of the year and a two-time conference offensive player of the year.
In 2021, Hawkins led Division III in touchdown passes (63) and points responsible for (410) while ranking second in passing yards (4,475) and total offense (4,705 yards), third in passing efficiency (192.1), fourth in completion percentage (70.7) and fifth in yards per pass attempt (9.56).
In Division III history he’s tied for second in career touchdown passes (148), seventh in season passing yards (4.475), 11th in career passing efficiency (175.32) and 13th in career passing yards (11,802).
He set school records for a game, season and career in passing yards, pass completions, pass completion percentage, touchdown passes, passing attempts and total offense. He also set school marks for consecutive passes without an interception (251, April 3-Oct. 30), consecutive games with six or more touchdown passes (6), consecutive games with five or more touchdown passes (8) and season games with 300 yards passing or more (7). He posted a 38-6 career record as Central’s starting quarterback.
The Dutch were 10-0 in the regular season, winning a record 32nd conference title and finishing 12-1 overall. Central gained its 22nd NCAA Division III playoff berth, advancing to the quarterfinals.
The Division III Academic All-America® program is financially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2021-22 Division III Academic All-America® teams program.
