KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Bronco football team placed four players on the 2015 MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete team on Monday. Being honored to the team were Lucas Bezerra, Derrick Mitchell, Trevor Sweeney and Zach Terrell.

The four Broncos were also named to the 2015 MAC All-Academic Team last week as Western Michigan had 12 players on the list.  The quartet each has GPA's of 3.62 or higher. For Terrell it is his second time being on the list after earning the honor last season as well.

The Distinguished Scholar Athlete is a second-year award given to students who have excelled in athletics and academics.  Following each season from the fall sports schedule, any student with a 3.20 GPA and participation in at least 50 percent of the contests was automatically named to the previously announced Academic All-MAC Team from each sport.  Also, first-year students and junior college transfers in their first year of residence were not eligible for the award.

From the Academic All-MAC Teams, the faculty athletic representatives selected the 'best of the best' of our Academic All-MAC Teams to be honored with Distinguished Scholar Athlete Award for the 2015-16 season.  The number of Distinguished Scholar Athletes from each sport were equivalent to the number of first-team selections or 33% of nominees, whichever was greater.

The four players honored are the most under head coach P.J. Fleck.

2015 MAC Distinguished Scholar Athlete List

Lucas Bezerra, Western Michigan, Sophomore, 3.83 GPA, Biomedical Sciences (Troy, Mich.)

Derek Mitchell, Western Michigan, R-Freshman, 3.75 GPA, Business (Paw Paw, Mich.)

Trevor Sweeney, Western Michigan, Junior, 3.69 GPA, Integrated Supply Mgmt. (Mattawan, Mich.)

* Zach Terrell, Western Michigan, Junior, 3.62 GPA, Finance (Fort Wayne, Ind.)