ANAHEIM, Calif. - On Tuesday, June 22, former Jacksonville State defensive back Josh Cain received the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) postgraduate scholarship. He was presented with the award at the 45th annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Convention in Anaheim, Calif.
Cain was one of two recipients for the $5000 postgraduate scholarship. The other recipient was University of North Dakota linebacker Andrew Miller. The duo was selected from a group of six finalists.
"Each year, the FCS ADA looks forward to honoring deserving student-athletes at our annual luncheon in June," said FCS ADA President Peter Fields, chair of the FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team Selection Committee and athletics director at Montana State University.
"Our Association is proud to continue recognizing deserving student-athletes with postgraduate scholarships. This year's recipients represent the high quality of the applicants, but the high number of extremely deserving candidates continues to be extremely impressive."
There were a total of 55 FCS players selected to the Academic All-Star Team in December, six of which were nominated for the postgraduate scholarships. Nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials.
They must have reached their second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. They must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.
Cain started all 11 games for the 2009 Gamecocks, who finished with an 8-3 record.
The Wetumpka, Ala., native finished second on the team with 67 tackles and helped the defense lead the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC), allowing just 83 total points in seven OVC contests.
JSU also led the OVC in scoring defense, pass defense, pass defense efficiency, turnover margin, opponent first downs, and opponent third down conversion.
Off the field, Cain is a team huddle leader with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and volunteers with the Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. In addition to earning numerous OVC honors, he was named to the American Football Coaches Association/All-State Good Works Team and was an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team selection in 2009. He was also honored by the Atlanta Area Council Boy Scouts of America by receiving the Georgia Peach of an Athlete Role Model Award earlier this spring.
A special Review Committee of Football Championship Subdivision athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were Greg Burke, Northwestern State; Peter Fields, Montana State (chair); Brian Hutchinson, Morehead State; Marilyn McNeil, Monmouth; Ron Strollo, Youngstown State; Jeff Tingey, Idaho State; and Tim Van Alstine, Western Illinois.