WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Senior running back Parker Showers (Aspers, Pa./Biglerville) is the 14th football player in Lycoming College’s history to earn Capital One Academic All-District honors, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced on Thursday, Nov. 8.
Showers, a business management major, was placed on the NCAA Division III District IV team, becoming the first Warrior to earn a spot on the squad since kicker T.J. Chiarolanza was placed on the squad in 2010.
Showers will now be placed in the pool for Academic All-America honors, competing against the other first team selections in eight districts. The Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America program was put in place by CoSIDA to honor those student-athletes who excel in athletics and in the classroom, with eligible student-athletes needing to post at least a 3.30 GPA as well as being significant contributors on the field.
The running back and kick return specialist is wrapping up a fine season. The tri-captain is one of the most versatile running backs in school history. He is currently sixth in the Middle Atlantic Conference in rushing, averaging 64.11 yards per game. He has posted 577 yards on 136 carries and his six rushing touchdowns are tied for the team lead. He is also third in the conference in all-purpose yards, averaging 123.0 per game, thanks to a solid 26.82 yards per kick return, which leads the league and is 16th in the nation.
As a kick returner, Showers earned the MAC’s Special Teams Player of the Week award after breaking the school’s career kickoff return yardage record against Lebanon Valley in week three. He is now just six yards away from breaking the school’s single-season kick return yardage record after posting 17 returns for 456 yards. He has three returns for more than 40 yards this season, including a 59-yard return at FDU-Florham.
A two-time MAC Academic honor roll and dean’s list selection, Showers was a second-team all-conference running back in 2011 after rushing for 896 yards. He also was named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy in September.
Showers has also helped in several community service initiatives for the football team, including helping with the Loyalsock Creek flood cleanup in spring 2012 and also working with Favors Forward.
Lycoming (7-2 overall, 7-1 MAC) will now get set for a regular-season ending game at Misericordia (0-9 overall, 0-8 MAC) on Saturday, Nov. 10. Meanwhile, Delaware Valley (7-2 overall, 7-1 MAC) will head to No. 12 Widener (8-0 overall, 7-0 MAC).
While Widener clinches the conference’s NCAA Division III Tournament bid and the title alone with a win, a Delaware Valley and Lycoming win would create a three-way tie for the conference title.
The NCAA Tournament bid would be decided on a point differential in games between the three teams, with Lycoming earning the bid if Delaware Valley wins by 15 points or less and the Aggies earning the bid with a win by 16 points or more.
