AUSTIN, Texas—UIndy football picked up a pair of prestigious honors Tuesday as Aaron Barnett and JaQuan Buchanan were both named to the 2022 Academic All-America® Division II Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Communicators (CSC). The annual list recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom.
 
Both student-athletes picked up there first Academic All-America® nod, with Barnett earning first-team accolades and Buchanan garnering second-team recognition. The duo helped the Greyhounds to a GLVC championship, an NCAA playoff berth and a No. 17 ranking in the final AFCA DII poll.
 
UIndy now has earned two Academic All-America® awards in each of the last three seasons. UIndy football student-athletes have combined to collect 39 AAA accolades, including two-time honorees Ted Munson (1994-95), Brad Crawford (1999-00), Andrew Mansaray (2011-12), Klay Fietcher (2012-13), Koby Orris (2013-14) and Toriano Clinton (2020-21).
 
Barnett emerged as one of the team's top pass rushers in 2022. Owner of a sparkling 3.92 cumulative GPA in Sport Management, the Veedersburg, Ind., native racked up a Greyhound-high 15.5 tackles for a loss and a team-high-tying 6.5 sacks. He started all 11 games at defensive end and led all UIndy d-lineman in total tackles (51) and pass break-ups (5). Barnett provided a late-season highlight with two sacks and 3.5 TFLs in the GLVC-title-clinching win versus No. 20 Truman in the regular-season finale.
 
Meanwhile, Buchanan finished second on the team in rushing yards (539) and first among UIndy running backs in yards per carry (7.2), the latter good for fourth in the program's single-season annuals. Filling in for injured All-American Toriano Clinton, Buchanan averaged 122 rushing yards in the final four games of the regular season, including setting a school record with 11 total touchdowns in one three-game stretch. A native of Aurora, Ill., Buchanan sports a 3.75 cume GPA in Sport Management.