OVERLAND PARK, KS - The Peru State College football team had four players earn College Sports Communicators NAIA Academic All-District® honors last week. The award recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field, in the classroom, and in the community while maintaining a minimum grade point average of 3.50 or higher while playing in 90-percent of the contests to earn the honor.

The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions – NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and the NAIA.

The four Bobcat honorees include seniors Lander Imbimbo (Brighton, United Kingdom) and Colin Shields (Wichita, KS), junior Zahir (Ziggy) Washington (Pleasantville, NJ), and sophomore Kemper Reed (Waverly). This is the second recognition for Imbimbo and Shields.

Imbimbo, Shields, and Washington were selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists and have advanced to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second-, and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on January 28, 2025.

A two-year starter as a wide receiver, Imbimbo caught nine passes for 69 yards and one touchdown this season. Imbimbo is the current president of the Peru Association of Student Athletes and is Peru State's representative on the Heart Conference ASA. The business administration management major has earned several state and national Collegiate FBLA top ten finishes. Imbimbo has been on the President's List every semester of his academic career. This fall he was Peru State's homecoming king. Imbimbo has participated in numerous community service activities.

Shields, the Bobcats' quarterback, became a starter mid-season in 2023 and then started all ten games this season. He completed 155 passes on 332 attempts for 1,913 yards and 15 touchdowns. He had a QB efficiency of 104.0%. The business administration major has previously been named as a Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete and a Heart Scholar-Athlete. Shields has been a member of Peru State's Collegiate FBLA and has earned national and state recognition. He has assisted in several football community projects.

A defensive lineman, Washington had 21 total tackles – 14 solo, 2 sacks for loss of 15 yards, and a fumble recovery. The elementary education major was one of the team's captains this past season and was named as the Bobcat Athlete of the Month. He was named to the Heart All-Conference Second Team this past year after earning honorable mention in 2023. Washington is a member of the Campus Activities Board and has received numerous academic scholarships. This fall he was his class's junior homecoming representative.

Reed is a linebacker and finished the season with 12 total tackles – five solo. He added one blocked kick.

Peru State finished the 2024 season with a 7-3 overall record – the best winning percentage season since 2000.