AMES, Iowa – The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced its 2021 Academic All-America Football Team today, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performance on the field and in the classroom.

For the second season in a row a pair of Cyclones were named to the distinguished team in seniors Charlie Kolar (TE) and Brock Purdy (QB). Kolar was named to the first team and Purdy was a second-teamer.

Kolar, who is ISU’s first three-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American in school history, also received the top honor by being named CoSIDA Academic All-America Division I Football Team Member of the Year.  For Division I football, Kolar is the 16^th FBS player in the history of the award to earn three first team honors.

Kolar is the third Cyclone athlete to be the top scholar-athlete in a sport from CoSIDA (Lisa Koll, WTF&CC in 2008-09; Christina Hillman, WTF&CC in 2015-16).

It’s been an award-winning season for Kolar. The only All-American and Academic All-American in school history was recently named the winner of the William V. Campbell Trophy, given annually to the nation’s best scholar-athlete football player.

Kolar, who earned All-Big 12 First Team honors for the third-straight season, owns all of ISU’s tight end school records in his fabulous career, including career receiving yards (2,148), career receptions (164) and career touchdowns (22). He is the only three-time All-American in Cyclone football history.

Kolar, who has caught a pass in 35-straight games, the second-longest streak in school history and the nation’s fifth-best active streak, finished off his career with another fantastic season.

The Norman, Okla., native is second on the team in receptions (58) and receiving yards (723), both single-season school marks by a tight end. His 5.2 catches per game ranks fourth nationally among FBS tight ends.

Kolar graduated in the fall of 2020 with a 3.99 cumulative GPA in mechanical engineering. In March of 2021, Kolar received the prestigious Wallace E. Barron All-University Senior Award, honoring outstanding seniors who display high character, outstanding achievement in academics and university/community activities.

A two-time CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American and four-time All-Big 12 quarterback, Purdy is the greatest signal-caller in school history, owning or sharing 32 school records.

Purdy ranks in the Big 12 career Top 10 in completions (7^th, 970), passing yards (8^th, 11,966) and total offense (8^th, 13,129), all school records. He finished off his career with a 16-1 record as a starter vs. Big 12 teams at Jack Trice Stadium.

A native of Gilbert, Ariz., Purdy led the Big 12 in passing yardage (248.7), total offense (267.3) and completion percentage (73.1), the fourth-best clip in the NCAA. His four games completing 80 percent or more of his passes (min. 15) attempts ties for first in the nation.

A communications studies major, Purdy holds a cumulative 3.66 GPA and is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection.