SAN DIEGO –The 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-District® Football Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. USD is represented on the District VIII team with two selections: redshirt-junior OL Jake Michaels and redshirt-senior DL Connor Spencer, who both received first team honors.
 
Both Michaels and Spencer have been key contributors for San Diego (9-2, 8-0 PFL) which went undefeated for the third-straight year in the Pioneer Football League. The Toreros will also be making their third-straight NCAA Division I FCS playoff appearance when they face Nicholls State on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.
 
This is the first Academic All-District selection for Michaels, who carries a 3.66 grade-point average in Biology. Michaels has helped limit opponents to just eight sacks for 60 yards this season, ranking 8th in the FCS. He has also helped the Toreros average 4.1 yards per attempt on the ground in 2018.
 
Spencer makes the team for the third-straight year, with a 3.81 grade-point average, majoring in Electrical Engineering. Spencer is tied for second on the team in tackles-for-loss (8.5) and posted a season-high 12 tackles (4 solo) in USD's 56-52 comeback win against Davidson.
 
First-team Academic All-District honorees advance to the Google Cloud Academic All-America® Team ballot, with first- and second-team Academic All-America honorees to be announced in December.
 
NCAA DIVISION I – DISTRICT 8 (AK, AZ, CA, HI, NV, OR, UT, WA, Canada)
First Team
QB, Justin Herbert, University of Oregon, Jr., 4.06 GPA, Biology
RB, Patrick Laird, California, Sr., 3.58 GPA, Business Administration & Political Science
RB, Sam McPherson, Eastern Washington University, Sr., 3.75 GPA, Mechanical Engineering
WR, Britain Covey, University of Utah, So., 3.85 GPA, Business
WR, Timmy Hernandez, Oregon State University, Sr., 3.66 GPA, Mechanical Engineering
TE, Wes Preece, UC Davis, Jr., 3.76 GPA, Managerial Economics
OL, Spencer Blackburn, Eastern Washington University, Sr., 3.67 GPA, Professional Accounting
OL, Jesse Burkett, Stanford University, Sr., 3.49 GPA, Japanese/Symbolic Systems
OL, David Chellsen, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Jr., 3.88 GPA, Industrial Engineering 
OL, Jake Michaels, University of San Diego, Sr., 3.66 GPA, Biology
OL, Calvin Throckmorton, University of Oregon, Jr., 3.84 GPA, Human Physiology
K, Jet Toner, Stanford University, Jr., 3.56 GPA, Science, Technology & Society
ST, Noah Borden, University of Hawaii, Sr., 3.82 GPA, Kinesiology & Rehabilitation Science
DL, Levi Onwuzurike, University of Washington, Jr., 3.36 GPA, Pre-Major
DL, Connor Spencer, University of San Diego, Sr., 3.81 GPA, Electrical Engineering
DL, Jacoby Wildman, Utah State University, Jr., 3.69 GPA, Sociology
DL, Noah Yunker, Portland State University, So., 3.89 GPA, Business: Finance
LB, Tevis Bartlett, University of Washington, Sr., 3.70 GPA, Education, Communities & Organizations
LB, Ben Burr-Kirven, University of Washington, Sr., 3.69 GPA, Comparative Literature
LB, Pyeton Pelluer, Washington State University, Gr., 3.36/3.48 GPA, Teaching (G)
DB, Tiger Garcia, UC Davis, Jr., 3.94 GPA, Managerial Economics
DB, Ryan Parenteau, UC Davis, Sr., 3.94 GPA, Aerospace Science & Engineering
DB, Taylor Rapp, University of Washington, Jr., 3.61 GPA, Business Administration
DB, Ron Smith, San Diego State University, Gr., 3.76 GPA, Education/Counseling
P, Quinton Conaway, University of Nevada, Jr., 3.90 GPA, Management