AUSTIN, Texas – Alabama State senior running back Ezra Gray was named to the 2020-21 Academic All-America® football team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) and announced Monday.
The honor is the second consecutive Academic All-America® from the organization after he earned the distinction back in 2019. The 2020-21 Academic All-America® Division I football team has nine repeat selections from the 2019, 2018, and 2017 teams: Jake Chisholm (Dayton), Gray (Alabama State), Charlie Kolar (Iowa State), Blaise Andries (Minnesota), Wes Genant (South Dakota State), Rick Mottram (Bucknell), Spencer DeMedal (Duquesne), Kekaula Kaniho (Boise State) and K.J. Smith (North Alabama).
Gray joins Alabama quarterback Mac Jones and Chisholm in the backfield announced by the organization and is the lone representative from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) on the First Team and is one of five selections from the state of Alabama on the First Team.
Also read: Alabama State’s Ezra Gray named to FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team
He is one of 12 members on the First Team with a 4.00 GPA, and he becomes the first two-time CoSIDA Academic All-America® in school history.
The graduate student is a two-time FCS-ADA selection to the Academic All-Star Team, earning the distinction of being named the FCS-ADA co-Scholar Athlete of the Year in 2019-20, is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-District selection, a finalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy (considered the Academic Heisman), two-time Magic City Classic Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and was a finalist for the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award this past spring.
On the field, he is a five-time All-SWAC selection as either a running back or return specialist and earned First Team honors as a running back this past spring after leading the conference in rushing. He was named a First Team BOXTOROW All-American this past season, and for his career has rushed for 1,808 yards – a number that places him in the top-10 all-time at Alabama State. He has also scored nine rushing touchdowns, recorded 47 receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown, while also averaging 22.9 yards per kick return during his career.
Courtesy: Alabama State Athletics
