Matt Besler (Notre Dame/Overland Park, Kan.) has been named the 2008 NSCAA/adidas Men’s Collegiate Scholar-Athlete of the Year, leading a group of 44 players named to the NSCAA/adidas Scholar All-America team.

Besler is the first Irish player to receive Scholar Athlete of the Year honors. A three-time All-Big East selection, he also earned NSCAA/adidas first-team All-America recognition in 2008. A three-year starter, he missed only one game during his collegiate career. Playing every minute of the 21 games this season, he helped Notre Dame to its second consecutive Big East regular-season title as a key part of an Irish defensive back line that posted seven shutouts. A four-time Big East Academic All-Star, he had five goals and seven assists during his four years with the Irish. He carries a 3.42 grade point average, majoring in pre-professional studies and psychology.

Besler is one of four players to earn Scholar All-America a second time this season. Joining him on the University Division (NCAA Division I) team were George John (Washington/Shoreline, Wash.), who has a 3.47 GPA in business, and Patrick Murray (Furman/Peachtree City, Ga.), with a 3.38 GPA in accounting. Isaac Laubach (Susquehanna/Millville, Pa.) was selected for the second time in the College Division (all other four-year institutions), holding a 3.82 GPA in finance.

2008 NSCAA/adidas College Men's Scholar All-America Team: Front Row (L-R): Brian Harris, J.T. Noone, Ryan Maxwell, Andrew Clark, Dominic Casciato, Gary Boughton.

Back Row (L-R): Seth Sinovic, Kevin Shrout, Anthony Szymel, Zach Patterson, Brian Sarber.

The Scholar All-America selections were recognized at the annual All-America Luncheon, held in St. Louis, Mo., on Jan. 17, as part of the 2009 NSCAA Convention

2008 NSCAA/adidas Men’s College Scholar All-America Team
University Division First Team
Pos., Name, Class, School, Major, GPA, Hometown
K, Zack Simmons, Sr., Massachusetts, History/Economics, 3.99, Durham, N.H.
D, Matt Besler*, Sr., Notre Dame, Pre-Professional Studies & Psychology, 3.42, Overland Park, Kan.
D, Erik Gustafsson, Jr., St. John’s, Philosophy/Economics, 3.57, Jamaica, N.Y.
D, Michael Holody, Sr., Michigan, Engineering, 3.35, Auburn Hills, Mich.
M, Michael Callahan, Sr., North Carolina, Economics, 3.37, Cary, N.C.
M, George John*, Sr., Washington, Business, 3.47, Shoreline, Wash.
M, J.T. Noone, Sr., Temple, Economics, 3.88, Harrisburg, Pa.
M, Brad Ring, Sr., Indiana, SPEA, 3.56, Rockford, Ill.
M, Piotr Nowak, Sr., Oakland, Accounting, 3.39, Rochester, Mich.
F, Doug DeMartin, Sr., Michigan State, Finance, 3.90, Mason, Mich.
F, Craig Henderson, Sr., Dartmouth, Anthropology, 3.48, Hanover, N.H.

University Division Second Team
K, Felipe Carvalho, Sr., Georgia State, Accounting and Finance, 3.74, Atlanta, Ga.
D, Connor Tobin, Sr., Vermont, Mechanical Engineering, 3.74, Fort Collins, Colo.
D, Steven Kinney, Jr., Elon, Accounting, 3.69, Norcross, Ga.
D, Daniel Schultz, Sr., Boston University, Economics, 3.77, Highland Park, Ill.
D, Seth Sinovic, Sr., Creighton, Economics, 3.32, Leawood, Kan.
M, Patrick Murray*, Sr., Furman, Accounting, 3.38, Peachtree City, Ga.
M, Michael Thomas, Jr., Notre Dame, Psychology, 3.34, Olathe, Kan.
M, Kevin Shrout, Jr., Drake, Management, 3.41, Lee’s Summit, Mo.
M, Alexander Torda, Jr., Dayton, Entrepreneurship/Finance, 3.63, Colleyville, Texas
F, Brian Harris, Sr., UMKC, Communications, 3.43, Edwardsville, Ill.
F, Patrick Figueiredo, Sr., Adelphi, Biology, 3.73, New Hyde Park, N.Y.

College Division First Team
K, Ryan Vickery, Sr., Metropolitan State, Accounting, 3.90, Mesa, Ariz..
D, Dominic Casciato, Jr., Limestone, Physical Education, 3.73, Bexleyheath, Eng.
D, Zach Patterson, Sr., Mount Vernon Nazarene, International Business/Finance, 3.37, Dayton, Ohio
D, Adam Boyer, Sr., Centre College, Psychology & History, 3.35, Louisville, Ky.
D, Alex Hildebrandt, Jr., Augsburg, Finance, 3.85, St. Paul, Minn.
M, Santiago Mejia, Jr., Loras, Electromechanical Engineering, 3.25, Dubuque, IA
M, Kevin Bigart, Sr., Case Western Reserve, Chemical Engineering, 3.76, Naperville, Ill.
M, Andrew Clark, Jr., Greensboro College, Business, 3.70, Ottawa, Ontario
F, Ola Sandquist, Sr., Metropolitan State, Finance/Economics, 3.50, Denver, Colo.
F, Matt Kochanowski, Sr., Dominican (Ill.), Business Administration, 3.32, Forest Park, Ill.

College Division Second Team
K, Brian Sarber, Sr., University of the Ozarks, Accounting, 3.84, Allen, Texas
K, Anthony Szymel, Sr., Lewis, Business Admininistration/Marketing, 3.67, Naperville, Ill.
D, Ryan Smith, Sr., Ohio Northern, Biology, 3.83, Miamisburg, Ohio
D, Isaac Laubach*, Sr., Susquehanna, Finance, 3.82, Millville, Pa.
M, Ryan Maxwell, Sr., Tampa, Accounting, 3.30, Tampa, Fla.
M, Andrew Stamm, Jr., Pomona-Pitzer, Neuroscience, 3.90, Seattle, Wash.
M, Gary Boughton, Jr., Medaille, Sports Management, 3.50, Lancaster, N.Y.
M, Ross Hamilton,  Jr., Carleton, Chemistry, 3.78, Western Springs, Ill.
M, Ross Aitchison, Jr., Northwood (Mich.), Business Management, 3.34, Midland, Mich.
F, Nedim Hasanbegovic, Sr., Hastings, Business Administration, 3.62, Omaha, Neb.
F, Chris Thomas, Sr., Bridgewater, International Studies/Spanish, 3.90, Bowie, Md.
F, Bobby Phillips, Sr., Carleton, Economics, 3.65, Vadnais Heights, Minn.
* indicates prior selection