(AUSTINTOWN, Ohio)--Capital University junior linebackers Steve Payne (Howard/Danville) and Pete Ankrom (Springfield/Springfield North) along with sophomore quarterback Marty Assmann (Columbus/Bishop Hartley) earned Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference Football honors.
Payne, who played in five games and had six tackles and a sack, is a Computer Science major with a 3.95 cumulative grade point average. Ankrom, a History Education major with a 3.61 g.p.a., started all 11 games at linebacker and finished fifth on the team in tackles (49), recovered two fumbles, forced a fumble and had 0.5 sack. The duo were part of a unit that had a school-record and nation's best 50 sacks for the nation's No. 3 ranked defense.
On the field, Assmann threw for 979 yards completing 60.8-percent of his passes with seven touchdowns in just four games before suffering a season-ending injury. At the time of his injury, Assmann led the OAC in total offense and passing yards and finished the season as Capital's second-leading rusher. Off the field, Assmann maintains a 3.76 g.p.a. as an Education major.
To earn Academic All-OAC honors a student-athlete must have maintained a 3.25 g.p.a., be a sophomore academically, is in at least the second year of participation and be a starter or key reserve who has made a significant athletic impact. The conference's 10 faculty athletic representatives make the Academic All-OAC selections.