Sunday Locals: EWU’s Martin, Sherritt receive honors

Two Eastern Washington seniors, tight end Matt Martin and linebacker J.C. Sherritt, are among 52 players selected to the 13th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team.

Martin, from LaCrosse-Washtucna High School, has a 3.76 grade-point average as a double major in communications and finance. Sherritt, from Pullman, has a 3.46 GPA in health and fitness.

The 52 award winners were selected from a field of 92 nominees. Martin and Sherritt bring to 11 the number of Eagles selected since the award was inaugurated in 1998. Both will be selected to the Big Sky Conference All-Academic team for the fourth time when that squad is announced later this month.

Martin is the only senior to have played in all 50 games for the Eagles in his four seasons. Sherritt holds the top two spots on the school’s single-season tackles list with a school-record 176 this season to surpass his record 170 as a junior.

Three other Big Sky seniors were also selected to the academic all-star team, including two who are among eight finalists for two $5,000 postgraduate scholarships given annually by the FCS ADA.

Montana strong safety Erik Stoll of Sandpoint, a biology major with a 3.92 GPA who was Montana’s third-leading tackler with 82 and led the team with five interceptions, and Northern Colorado offensive lineman Tim McGraw are among the finalists for the scholarships that will be awarded in June.

Weber State running back Vaingamalie Tafuna, who has a 3.51 GPA, is also on the all-academic team.