SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – Senior Jake Benishay, junior Max Gluck and sophomore Isaiah Russell of the Union College football team were recognized for their contributions on the gridiron and success in the classroom with spots on the 2023 CSC Academic All-District Team, selected by College Sports Communicators and announced on Tuesday afternoon.
 
To be nominated for College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must compete in 90 percent of a team's games or start at least 66 percent of an institution's contests, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher, and reach sophomore athletic and academic standing at the school. Academic All-District honorees are considered for advancement to the CSC Academic All-America ballot, the results of which will be announced in January.
 
Benishay earned a regular role in the secondary for Union in his senior season, playing 11 games at cornerback. He recorded one interception and tied for fourth on the team with four pass breakups in addition to picking up 18 tackles. He had one of his best games of the season in the Dutchman Shoes matchup against Rensselaer, matching his season high with four tackles while adding an interception and a pass breakup. The managerial economics major earned his second Liberty League All-Academic Team honor this year as well.
 
Gluck had an excellent season as the team's primary placekicker, earning D3football.com All-Region second-team and All-Liberty League first-team honors. He went 15-of-21 on field-goal attempts and 43-of-49 on extra points as a junior, finishing the year second in Division III in field goals and 28th in field-goal percentage, while leading the Liberty League in both categories and ranking second overall in scoring. At Union, he ranks third in single-season extra points and fourth in single-season field goals, connecting on the most since 2001 and 2003, respectively. The managerial economics major also is a two-time Liberty League All-Academic Team honoree.
 
Russell stepped up into a featured role as a wide receiver during his sophomore season, ranking fourth on the team with 20 receptions for 208 yards and a touchdown in 12 games. The wideout averaged 10.4 yards per catch on the year, including a season-best 48 yards against Hobart, and hauled in his first collegiate touchdown in the NCAA Tournament at Johns Hopkins. The English major earned his first Liberty League All-Academic Team selection this season as well.
 
With the three honorees, Union student-athletes have earned 182 Academic All-District honors since 2001. The football team leads all Union programs with 35 selections over that span.