Norris Named to CoSIDA Academic All-America® Football 1st Team
WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University senior defensive end and captain Paul Norris (North Attleboro/North Attleboro HS) has been selected for the 2015 CoSIDA Division II Academic All-America® football first team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Norris is the sixth Academic All-America in Bentley football and just the third first-team selection with the others being Jared Kawadler (2010) and Brian Holland (2000). He was the only representative of the Northeast-10 Conference on the first team.
"Paul is an example for all student-athletes about work ethic and dedication to excel in the classroom and on the field," said head coach Bill Kavanaugh. "Paul is an outstanding young man who leads by example. He set the pace for our team on the field every day, but more importantly, in the classroom and socially."
Norris, a 2014 second-team All-Northeast-10 selection, led the Falcons' defensive line in tackles, and was third overall, with 50 tackles. Included among his seven tackles for losses were 4.5 sacks. His final collegiate season also included two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and a team-high six quarterback hurries.
The six-foot-two 245-pounder played in every game for the Falcons over the last three seasons and started 20 of 22 since the start of last season, including all 11 in 2015. He had seven or more tackles in four games this fall with a high of eight against Saint Anselm Oct. 10.
In addition to being a Falcon leader on the field, Norris has excelled in the classroom, amassing a 3.60 grade point average as a finance major who has minors in both Spanish and natural and applied sciences.
Following graduation, Norris aspires to be an astrophysicist and for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Norris has previously been selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team twice, and was also an Academic All-Northeast-10 honoree in 2013 and 2014. He was also a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's William Campbell Trophy.
Norris is the 15th Bentley student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors over the last five academic years. They've combined for 22 awards during that time, pushing Bentley's all-time total to 68, tenth most all-time by a Division II institution.