COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- South Dakota School of Mines sophomore linebacker Cole Peterson has been named to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All Academic First Team announced Wednesday by the league office in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Hardrockers also had 23 scholar athletes named to the RMAC Honor Roll.

The RMAC All-Academic First Team members, were voted on by the conference's sports information directors. To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must carry a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and must have been an active

student at the institution for at least two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters.

Peterson is a sophomore linebacker from Boulder, Colorado, with a 4.0 GPA with an undeclared major. He leads the Hardrockers with 94 total tackles and has 2.0 sacks for a loss of 19 yards so far on the year. He also has recorded 9.5 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a pass breakup this season.

Peterson leads the conference in total tackles, averaging 11.8 per game and is currently ranked fifth in the nation in that category.   

"Cole is the 'Gold Standard' for Hardrocker football," said Hardrocker football head coach Zach Tinker. "He is a great example of a true scholar-athlete and he is one of the primary reasons the 'Lunch Pail Defense' has set a higher standard and led our team in 2019.

Those that are eligible but do not earn First Team honors are selected to the RMAC Honor Roll.
 
 

Name	Yr.	Pos.	Hometown	GPA	Major
Thomas Creese	Jr.	QB	Mesa, AZ	3.719	Mechanical Engineering
Korder Cropsey	Jr.	RB	Presho, SD	3.768	Civil Engineering
Zach Hoopman	RSo.	RB	Douglas, WY	3.726	Chemical Engineering
Harris Irwin	Jr.	DE	Boise, ID	3.40	Civil Engineering
Joe Luebbers	RSo.	WR	Denver, CO	3.758	Civil Engineering
Adrian Perez	Sr.	DL	Phoenix, AZ	3.692	Civil Engineering
Kevin Ptak	Jr.	WR	Allen, TX	4.00	Electrical Engineering
Jacob West	RSo.	WR	Adel, IA	3.441	Mechanical Engineering
Nick Zell	RSo.	WR	Brentwood, CA	3.697	Mechanical Engineering
Collin Zur	Jr.	WR	Park City, UT	3.661	Industrial Engineering
Spencer Zur	RSo.	QB	Park City, UT	3.456	Chemical Engineering
Joseph Alber	RFr.	LB	Highlands Ranch, CO	3.406	Computer Science
McCoy Bila	RFr.	QB	Chadron, NE	3.843	Electrical Engineering
Mitchell Black	RFr.	OL	Arvada, Colorado	3.774	Biomedical Engineering
Rhett Buttleman	So	DL	West St. Paul, MN	3.583	Mining Engineering
Chandler Callejo	So.	DB	Littleton, CO	3.829	Biomedical Engineering
Fernando Chavez	RFr.	RB	Denver, CO	3.586	Mechanical Engineering
Tony Monroe, Jr.	RFr.	S	Shakopee, MN	3.514	Mechanical Engineering
Kaleb Roth	RB	RFr.	Madera Ranchos, CA	3.344	Mechanical Engineering
Cole Seiwald	DE	RFr.	Thornton, CO	3.355	Mechanical Engineering
Connor Smith	OL	RFr.	Longmont, CO	3.344	Undecided
Jarod Svensson	DT	So.	Longmont, CO	3.885	Undecided
Ira Murphey	TE	JR.	Rapid City	3.758	Civil Engineering