TicketsCINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder and punter James Smith were named First-Team Academic All-District by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Football and Volleyball Teams recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field or court and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First- and second-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early July.
Ridder, the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 AAC Championship Game Most Outstanding Player and 2018 AAC Rookie of the Year, helped lead the Bearcats to an AAC Championship and the team's first New Year's Six appearance since 2009. A finalist for the Manning Award, Ridder has 22 career rushing TDs, most ever for a UC QB and tied for No. 8 in the Bearcats annals. He is the active career leader in winning percentage among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision signal callers, winning over 88% of his career starts. He is the No. 2 passer in school history, throwing for 6,905 yards and 57 touchdowns. Ridder was a 2020 finalist for the Manning Award and semifinalist for the Maxwell and O'Brien Awards.
Smith, UC's all-time leading punter and a four-time all-conference player, earned First-Team All-AAC recognition in 2017 and 2018 and second-team plaudits in 2019 and 2020. He became UC's all-time leader in punting yardage during the Houston game. For his career, he has kicked 235 times for 10,245 yards and just three touchbacks and was a 2018 All-America selection and finalist for the Ray Guy Award as one of the nation's best punters. Looking at the UC record book, Smith also sits No. 2 in punting average (43.6) and tied for third in punts (235).
Tickets for the highly anticipated 2021 campaign are on sale now and season tickets remain the best value for Bearcats fans to see all six home games in person this season. Packages start at $150 for top-value seats in the Varsity View and Bearcats Lair sections.
Fans can visit football season ticket central online to view available seats and review all price levels.
FILL-IT-UP FRIDAYS
New season ticket holders who make their purchases on a Friday between 9 a.m. and noon ET will be entered in a drawing to win various Bearcats prizes. Fans should follow @GoBEARCATS on social media and tune in each Thursday this summer, starting on June 17, for weekly prize announcements.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati finished 9-1 in 2020, winning the American Athletic Conference Championship and playing in its first New Year's Six Bowl game in over a decade.
The Bearcats return 16 starters from last season's squad, including Ridder and seven-time All-America selection Ahmad Gardner along with All-AAC selections Darrian Beavers, Marcus Brown, Coby Bryant, Myjai Sanders, Tre Tucker, Josh Whyle and Michael Young Jr.
The 2021 roster projects to have nearly 40 local players who grew up and played high-school football in the tri-state area.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
The 2020-21 Academic All-District® Football and Volleyball Teams recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field or court and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First- and second-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early July.
Ridder, the 2020 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, 2021 AAC Championship Game Most Outstanding Player and 2018 AAC Rookie of the Year, helped lead the Bearcats to an AAC Championship and the team's first New Year's Six appearance since 2009. A finalist for the Manning Award, Ridder has 22 career rushing TDs, most ever for a UC QB and tied for No. 8 in the Bearcats annals. He is the active career leader in winning percentage among NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision signal callers, winning over 88% of his career starts. He is the No. 2 passer in school history, throwing for 6,905 yards and 57 touchdowns. Ridder was a 2020 finalist for the Manning Award and semifinalist for the Maxwell and O'Brien Awards.
Smith, UC's all-time leading punter and a four-time all-conference player, earned First-Team All-AAC recognition in 2017 and 2018 and second-team plaudits in 2019 and 2020. He became UC's all-time leader in punting yardage during the Houston game. For his career, he has kicked 235 times for 10,245 yards and just three touchbacks and was a 2018 All-America selection and finalist for the Ray Guy Award as one of the nation's best punters. Looking at the UC record book, Smith also sits No. 2 in punting average (43.6) and tied for third in punts (235).
Tickets for the highly anticipated 2021 campaign are on sale now and season tickets remain the best value for Bearcats fans to see all six home games in person this season. Packages start at $150 for top-value seats in the Varsity View and Bearcats Lair sections.
Fans can visit football season ticket central online to view available seats and review all price levels.
FILL-IT-UP FRIDAYS
New season ticket holders who make their purchases on a Friday between 9 a.m. and noon ET will be entered in a drawing to win various Bearcats prizes. Fans should follow @GoBEARCATS on social media and tune in each Thursday this summer, starting on June 17, for weekly prize announcements.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati finished 9-1 in 2020, winning the American Athletic Conference Championship and playing in its first New Year's Six Bowl game in over a decade.
The Bearcats return 16 starters from last season's squad, including Ridder and seven-time All-America selection Ahmad Gardner along with All-AAC selections Darrian Beavers, Marcus Brown, Coby Bryant, Myjai Sanders, Tre Tucker, Josh Whyle and Michael Young Jr.
The 2021 roster projects to have nearly 40 local players who grew up and played high-school football in the tri-state area.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.