NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Seven Vanderbilt football student-athletes were named Academic All-District selections by College Sports Communicators on Tuesday.
Julian Ashby, Richie Hoskins, Langston Patterson, Nick Rinaldi, Cole Spence, Brock Taylor and Linus Zunk set a school record with seven selections, topping last year’s mark of five. Ashby and Taylor will now advance to the ballot for Academic All-America honors.
Hoskins and Rinaldi become the fifth and sixth players in school history to earn a spot on the list in multiple seasons and the second and third to accomplish the feat under head coach Clark Lea (Ethan Barr).
Ashby served as Vanderbilt’s long snapper for all 12 games this season, executing 114 snaps. A semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, Ashby also recorded a tackle against South Carolina. He was pursuing a master’s degree in mechanical engineering last fall during his lone season at Vanderbilt and owns a 3.90 grade-point average as a graduate student. He was named to the SEC Community Service team.
The Lilburn, Georgia, native graduated from Furman in three years. He recorded a 3.96 undergraduate degree while majoring in physics. With the Paladins, Ashby executed 363 long snaps in three seasons while twice earning Academic All-District honors to go with Academic All-America accolades in 2023.
Hoskins boasts a 3.59 grade-point average while majoring in political science. A native of Lake Forest, Illinois, the team captain played in all 13 games and made 11 receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns. It marks the second consecutive season Hoskins has earned Academic All-District accolades from CSC.
Patterson, also a team captain, has a 3.51 grade-point average while majoring in human and organizational development. The Nashville, Tennessee, native finished second on the team and 18th in the SEC in total tackles. He added five tackles for loss, a pair of break-ups and a fumble recovery.
Rinaldi has recorded a 3.99 grade-point average while majoring in economics. The Dover, Massachusetts, product led the Commodores with six sacks this season while totaling 32 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries. He ranked sixth in sacks among all SEC linebackers. He made the First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll as a freshman and SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll last year and has been a Dean’s List selection every semester at Vanderbilt.
Spence owns a 3.74 grade-point average with a major in human and organizational development. The Roswell,…