NIU football placed a school-record and conference-leading 14 student-athletes on the 2014 Academic All-MAC team, which was released by the league office Tuesday.

NIU and the Central Michigan Chippewas led the MAC with 14 selections apiece. The Bowling Green Falcons, Eastern Michigan Eagles, Ohio Bobcats and Toledo Rockets each saw 13 of their student-athletes selected to the Academic All-MAC team. In total, 135 student-athletes from 13 MAC schools earned honors.

Senior fullback Rob Sterling made the Academic All-MAC team for the third year in a row. Fellow senior fullback Ricky Connors was named to the team for the second-consecutive year.

Among the first-time selections for NIU:

• Jackson Abresch, redshirt freshman safety
• Ryan Brown, redshirt senior offensive lineman
• Cameron Clinton-Earl, redshirt junior defensive end
• Luke Eakes, redshirt senior tight end
• Michael Gegner, redshirt senior offensive lineman
• Drew Hare, redshirt sophomore quarterback
• Bobby Jones IV, redshirt freshman linebacker
• William Lee, redshirt freshman defenive tackle
• Anthony Maddie, redshirt sophomore quarterback
• Matt McIntosh, redshirt junior safety
• Jason Meehan, senior defensive end
• Shane Wimann, redshirt freshman tight end/fullback