WALTHAM, Mass. – One of the highest accolades a student-athlete can receive is selection to the Academic All-America team by the College Sports Information Directors of America®.

Two Bentley University football captains, senior linebacker Bryan Hardy (Barnstable/ Barnstable HS) and senior defensive back Sam McDonald (Norfolk/King Philip Reg. HS), received that prestigious honor Wednesday when they were selected to the 2016 CoSIDA Division II Academic All-America football team. It was the first time in program history that Bentley has had two players selected in the same season.

Hardy was voted to the first team, making this the second straight year that Bentley has had a first-team representative, and McDonald was a member of the second team.  Last fall, Paul Norris represented Bentley on the first team.

"We are extremely proud of Bryan and Sam for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom," said head coach Bill Kavanaugh. "These two have given our university so much over the past four years. I'm sure that Sam and Bryan will continue this production and success into the corporate world very soon."

Hardy, who was previously voted to the All-Northeast-10 first team and the New England Football Writers Division II-III All-Star team, finished his career as the top tackler in the program's 29-year varsity history with 332. During his 42 games in a Falcon uniform, the three-year starter also totaled 30.5 tackles for losses, three fumble recoveries and three interceptions.

Hardy has led the Falcons in tackles each of the last three seasons and finished this past season with a Northeast-10 high 121, topping the century mark for the second time in three years. He had at least ten in seven games, with a high of 16 at New Haven.

In the classroom, Hardy has earned a 3.70 grade point average as an economics-finance major and made the President's List the last five semesters.  Twice he's been voted to the Academic All-Northeast-10 team.

McDonald, who played in 43 of 44 career games and started 34 times, finished his career with 17 interceptions, one shy of the Bentley record and one of the top five totals in Northeast-10 Conference history.

This season, McDonald was fourth on the team in tackles (52) and had three interceptions for 26 yards. His career totals include 171 tackles, 30 passes defended and 217 interception return yards.

Like Hardy, McDonald is an economics-finance major. The 2015 Academic All-Northeast-10 and second-team All-Conference honoree has achieved a 3.42 GPA.  He's made the Dean's List five straight semesters.

Bentley was one of only eight Division II institutions nationally to have multiple players earn Academic All-America honors.

"It says a lot about the high quality student-athletes in our program to be represented by two members on this elite list," praised Kavanaugh.