AUSTIN, Texas – Colorado State University Pueblo sophomore wide receiver Zack Rakowsky (Loveland, Colo.) was one of 52 NCAA Division II football student-athletes named to the 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Football Team, formally known as the CoSIDA Academic All-America teams.
 
Rakowsky earned Second-Team Academic All-America honors, making him the first CSU Pueblo football player recognized since former punter Justin Dwinell earned First Team Academic All-America honors in 2021. Rakowsky becomes CSU Pueblo's 18th football player to earn Academic All-America honors and the fourth student-athlete to earn CSC Academic All-America accolades this season as men's soccer players Shjion Andrews, Kenshin Uneo and Dylan Zavatini earned First-Team Academic All-America honors on Dec. 19.
 
The CSC Academic All-America teams, nominated and selected by Sports Information professionals from across the country, recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. To be considered for a CSC Academic All-America team, student-athletes must complete in 90 percent of the institution's games or must start in at least 66 percent of its games. Additionally, student-athletes must have at least a 3.50 or higher cumulative grade point average (GPA).
 
Rakowsky, who was one of four Pack football players to earn CSC Academic All-District honors this season, earns his Second-Team Academic All-America honor after carrying a 3.73 GPA as a Health Science major at CSU Pueblo. Rakowsky is also a two-time member of the RMAC Football Academic Honor Roll.
 
Along with his excellence in the classroom, the receiver earned Honorable Mention All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) honors after catching a team-leading 58 passes for 769 yards and had six receiving touchdowns. His 58 receptions are second-most on the school's single-season chart, while his 769 receiving yards are seventh on the school's single-season charts.
 
During the 2023 season, Rakowsky tallied three 100-plus receiving yard games and was third in the RMAC in receptions per game (5.3) and eighth in receiving yards (769). Recorded six games with five or more receptions and had two games with 10 receptions. He also ranked 10th in the RMAC in touchdown receptions with six.
 
Rakowsky, who was one of two sophomores named CSC Football Academic All-Americans, is one of six RMAC players named to the Division II CSC Academic All-America Team as he is joined by Colorado School of Mines graduate student quarterback John Matocha (First Team), Colorado School of Mines graduate student linebacker Nolan Reeve (First Team), Colorado School of Mines junior punter Blake Doud (First Team), Colorado Mesa University sophomore defensive back Kash Bradley (Second Team) and Colorado School of Mines graduate student defensive lineman Jack Peterson (Second Team). Reeve was named the CSC Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.
 
The four Academic All-America Football teams, between NCAA Division I, II, III and NAIA levels, totaled 180 student-athletes with a combined 3.81 cumulative grade point average. The 52 Division II players selected Academic All-Americans combined to hold a collective average GPA of 3.81, including 10 members boosting a perfect 4.0 GPA.
 
The Division II Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CSC with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2023-24 Division II Academic All-America® program.
 
Here is complete list of the CSU Pueblo football players that have been named CSC Academic All-Americans.