DeKALB, Ill. – For the second consecutive year, Northern Illinois University offensive tackle Max Scharping has been named to the Academic All-District 5 Team as selected by CoSIDA, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced Thursday.
 
Scharping, who earned his undergraduate degree in exercise physiology/fitness leadership with a 3.99 grade point average, is currently pursuing his master's degree and owns a 3.67 GPA in graduate school.  
 
The Green Bay, Wis. native from Southwest High School has started 37 consecutive games at offensive tackle for NIU.  The leader of the NIU offensive line, he was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List prior to the season and was nominated for the 2017 Wuerffel Trophy. 
 
He has helped lead NIU to an 8-3 overall mark in 2017 and a 6-1 record in MAC games.  NIU backs have posted four 100-yard rushing games, most recently on Wednesday night versus Western Michigan as Jordan Huff ran for a career high 185 yards on 25 carries as the Huskies defeated the Broncos 35-31 to stay in the MAC West race.  
 
A two-time Academic All-MAC and MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete selection who was a first team All-MAC player in 2016, Scharping is the first Huskie player to earn Academic All-District honors in back-to-back seasons since Nabal Jefferson in 2011-12.  
 
The 2017 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District® Football Team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The Academic All-District® are divided into eight geographic districts across the United States and Canada
 
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Team ballot, with first- and second-team Academic All-America honorees to be announced in December.
 
-- NIU --