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Boise State Athletics
Kaniho and Whimpey Named Academic All-Americans
7/12/2021 10:01:00 AM | Football
AUSTIN, Texas – Boise State defensive back Kekaula Kaniho and linebacker Riley Whimpey were named to the 2020-21 Academic All-America Division I Football First Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), Monday.
It is the first time Boise State earned two spots on an Academic All-America First Team in the same sport in the same year. The last time Boise State had a first-team honoree in football was offensive lineman Mason Hampton in 2017. The last time Boise State had multiple Academic All-Americans in football was 2016 when Hampton (first team), offensive lineman Steven Baggett (second team) and punter Sean Wale (second team) were each selected.
Kaniho (3.96, health science) was a second-team Academic All-American in 2019. Whimpey (3.82, business) garnered his first accolade. Only Alabama and Coastal Carolina had two first-team recipients this year.
To be eligible for the Academic All-America team, a student-athlete had to receive all-district honors. Kaniho and Whimpey, along with offensive lineman Donte Harrington, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and punter Joel Velazquez combined to give Boise State five all-district award winners, tied for second nationally among FBS schools.
Kaniho led the Broncos with seven pass breakups and was named the Senior CLASS Award winner for the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in 2020.
Whimpey paced the Broncos with 61 tackles last season after leading the team with 83 stops in 2019.
It is the first time Boise State earned two spots on an Academic All-America First Team in the same sport in the same year. The last time Boise State had a first-team honoree in football was offensive lineman Mason Hampton in 2017. The last time Boise State had multiple Academic All-Americans in football was 2016 when Hampton (first team), offensive lineman Steven Baggett (second team) and punter Sean Wale (second team) were each selected.
Kaniho (3.96, health science) was a second-team Academic All-American in 2019. Whimpey (3.82, business) garnered his first accolade. Only Alabama and Coastal Carolina had two first-team recipients this year.
To be eligible for the Academic All-America team, a student-athlete had to receive all-district honors. Kaniho and Whimpey, along with offensive lineman Donte Harrington, wide receiver Khalil Shakir and punter Joel Velazquez combined to give Boise State five all-district award winners, tied for second nationally among FBS schools.
Kaniho led the Broncos with seven pass breakups and was named the Senior CLASS Award winner for the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision in 2020.
Whimpey paced the Broncos with 61 tackles last season after leading the team with 83 stops in 2019.
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