Moon Township, Pa. – A pair of RMU football student-athletes were named to the 2020-21 Academic All-District 2 Team Thursday according to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), as junior linebacker
Aniello Buzzacco and senior offensive lineman
Dylan Young each earned their first career honor.
Buzzacco and Young will now advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot for national recognition. Honorees will be announced in July. CoSIDA's District 2 includes student-athletes that play for institutions from the states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Topping the Big South in tackles per game during the 2020-21 season was Buzzacco, a native of North Lima, Ohio, who averaged 13.0 tackles per contest. In the 2021 spring opener for the Colonials at No. 2 James Madison (2/27), Buzzacco posted a season-high 15 tackles, including 10 of the solo variety. He added 10 stops in RMU's Big South debut at Kennesaw State (4/3) and finished with 14 takedowns at Charleston Southern (4/10).
Dating back to the 2019 campaign, Buzzacco has reached double digits in tackles in six consecutive games as well as 10 of his last 12 contests. During the last 12 games for the Colonials, Buzzacco is averaging 12.6 tackles per contest. Pursuing a BSBA in finance at RMU, Buzzacco has compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.46.
RELATED: Buzzacco Earns Spot On FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team (6/10/21)
Young, a native of Coral Springs, Fla., and a cyber forensics & information security major, owns a cumulative GPA of 3.69 during his career at RMU. A steady presence on the offensive line for the Colonials, Young has started 26 career contests, occupying left guard the last two seasons.
Thanks to the 2020-21 CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 Team selection, Young is the seventh offensive lineman in program history to garner the honor. Former Colonials Alex Minford and Conner Mundy were honored in 2019, while Logan Miles was honored in 2011. Former Colonials Mark Leyenaar (2000, 2001), Pat Linberg (2000, 2001) and Nick Faraci (2013, 2014, 2015) are the only student-athletes in school history on the offensive line to garner the District 2 accolade multiple times.
Buzzacco is the seventh linebacker in program history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-District 2 honors, joining former Colonials Brad Banas (2010, 2011, 2012), Kyle Cooper (2013), Adam Lawrence (2008), Jonathan LeDonne (2003, 2004), Justin Marino (2003) and Adam Wollet (2016, 2017, 2018).
Overall in program history, RMU has had 23 student-athletes named academic all-district by CoSIDA a total of 36 times since 2000.
Led by head coach
Bernard Clark, Jr., the Colonials open their 2021 fall season Saturday, Sept. 4, with a road game against Dayton. RMU opens the home portion of its schedule Saturday, Sept. 25, by hosting Howard at Joe Walton Stadium. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the RMU Ticket Office at (412) 397-4919.
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