NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Five Vanderbilt football players were named Academic All-District on Tuesday by College Sports Communicators.
Matthew Hayball and Nick Rinaldi have been selected to advance to the Academic All-America ballot, while they are joined on the All-District team by Bradley Ashmore, Ethan Barr and Will Faris.
The five Academic All-District selections are the most in a single season in school history, topping last year’s record of four. Barr becomes the first two-time all-district pick at Vanderbilt since Khari Blasingame (2017-18).
Hayball and Rinaldi advance to the national ballot for Academic All-America, looking to become the first Commodores to earn that distinction since Hunter Hillenmeyer in 2002.
It adds to a long list of accolades for Hayball, who has already been named an All-American by multiple outlets, first team All-SEC by the league’s coaches and one of three finalists for the Ray Guy Award. He is the Vanderbilt record holder in career punting average and owns two of the top five single-season punting averages in school history. The West Adelaide, Australia, native owns a 3.89 grade-point average while pursuing a master’s degree in leadership and organizational performance. He graduated from Florida Atlantic with a degree in finance while posting a 3.692 GPA.
Rinaldi will join Hayball on the Academic All-America ballot. The sophomore has a 4.0 GPA as an economics major with a business minor. He played in all 12 games and made 21 total tackles with one for loss, as well as an interception.
Faris served as Vanderbilt’s kickoff specialist this season and handled all 55 kickoffs for the Commodores, totaling 3,463 yards and 22 touchbacks. He owns a 3.78 GPA with a double major in human and organizational development and climate studies.
Barr registered 55 total tackles with three for loss this season, while also serving as team captain. He was nominee for the Wuerffel Trophy, semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy and a member of the SEC Community Service Team. He boasts a 3.60 GPA with a major in human and organizational development.
Ashmore was also a team captain and played in all 12 games this season, primarily at right tackle. He was a midseason honorable mention All-SEC selection by College Football Network and had the sixth-best Pro Football Focus run block grade among SEC linemen on the year. The Neptune Beach, Florida, native majors in human and organizational development and owns a 3.60 GPA.