A-State’s Grupe Named CoSIDA First Team Academic All-District

JONESBORO, Ark.– Arkansas State kicker Blake Grupe was named Thursday to the 2020-21 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 6 Football Team as a first-team selection.

The honor recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.  Grupe earned a first-team place in District 6, which is comprised of programs located in Arkansas, Iowa, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Grupe earned his bachelor’s degree from Arkansas State University in the spring of 2020 and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in business administration.  He is an A-State Athletics Director’s Honor Roll and Sun Belt Conference Academic Honor Roll member.

The Sedalia, Mo., native was a 2019 First Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection and is a two-time member of the Lou Groza Award Watch List, including his sophomore season when he was a semifinalist.

Grupe enters the 2021 season with 263 career points scored, ranking as the fourth most in school history among all players and the seventh most in Sun Belt history for points by kicking.  He also has 44 career field goals made to his credit, which stand as the third most ever by an A-State player.

The first A-State player to be named Academic All-District since former punter Luke Ferguson in 2015, Grupe now advances to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team ballot.  First, second and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.