Mount Union quarterback Greg Micheli was selected as the 2008-09 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America of the Year, as chosen by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Micheli, who had a double major of physics and mathematics and a 3.84 GPA, is the third Division III football player to be so honored and the first since MIT's Brad Gray won the award in 1997-98.

"I am truly honored and blessed to not only receive this award but to represent Mount Union College," said Micheli. "I have been fortunate to have a great college experience with many great teammates and coaches. This award is a reflection of that."

The winner of the Gagliardi Trophy as the nation's top NCAA Division III football player, Micheli led Mount Union to a 15-0 record and the NCAA Division III national championship. The top-rated passer in NCAA Division III, he set an NCAA record with his 209.13 passing efficiency rating. As a senior, he completed 240 of 320 passes for a school record 3,743 yards and a .750 completion percentage. While throwing 36 touchdown passes, he was intercepted only twice.

Named as the Most Outstanding Player in the 2008 Stagg Bowl, he was also the Raiders' second-leading rusher as a senior. He ran for 515 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry. He also scored four touchdowns. In the Stagg Bowl, he completed 12 of 19 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns to lead Mount Union to its 31-26 win against UW-Whitewater. He was also named as the Most Outstanding Player at the 2006 Stagg Bowl when he came off the bench to lead the Raiders to a 35-16 win over UW-Whitewater. Playing the final three quarters of the game, he completed 18 of 22 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 42 yards on nine carries and scored on a 12-yard run.

A native of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, Micheli finished his career by completing 578 passes in 780 attempts for a .741 percentage. He passed for 8,479 yards in his career with 81 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions. In addition, he rushed for 1,476 yards in his career and scored 17 touchdowns. In his two seasons as the Raiders' starting quarterback, he compiled a 29-1 record with the only loss coming in the 2007 national championship game.

In January, he was the winner of an NCAA Top VIII Award and he was the only Division III athlete to receive the award. Named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® College Division Football first team as a junior and senior, he was also the winner of the Clyde Lamb Award as the top male scholar-athlete in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Chosen as the Outstanding Male Senior at Mount Union, he is also a member of the Society of Physics Students.

Micheli competed against 11 other College Division candidates. The average GPA of the 12 College Division candidates was a remarkable 3.88.