Aurora University football senior Matthew Kickel received top academic recognition today when the College Sports Communicators (CSC) released their 2024 Division III Academic All-America® Teams.

Having already secured post season recognition on all three major Division III Football All-American Teams, Kickel now adds the top honor on the academic side from the CSC.. Kickel was named Second-Team All-American by D3football.com, the Associated Press (AP) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), and now adds a Second-Team Academic All-America® honor to his strong 2024 accolades.

Kickel becomes the 51st Spartan to earn CSC (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-America recognition and the fifth AU football student-athlete.

He was also selected as the 2024 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year and earned D3football.com All-Region and a First-Team All-Conference recognitions. 

In his career, Kickel is now a five-time All-American (2024 D3football.com, AP and AFCA and 2023 AP abd D3football.com), a two-time D3football.com All-Region performer and three-time NACC All-Conference selection while adding the NACC Offensive Lineman of the Year honor in 2024.

The unquestioned leader of the AU offensive line, Kickel paved the way for an Aurora offense that averaged 46.6 points per game, 464.3 yards per game with 294.4 yards passing and 169.9 on the ground in the season. Nationally in the regular season the AU offense ranked seventh in scoring, 16th in total offense, 16th in passing and 18th in first-downs gained.

The 2024 Spartans finished the season with a 9-2 record, a perfect 8-0 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference and a 2024 NCAA Division III playoff appearance. The champions of the NACC, the AU football team headed to the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the ninth time in program history and fifth consecutive season of the NCAA hosting the playoffs. 

The Spartans made the 2024 NCAA Division III playoffs, falling in the second round at Hope College 49-21.