Proving that Wildcats excel both on and off the playing field, Linfield safety Colin Forman (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) was named to the 2012 CoSIDA/Capital One NCAA Division III Academic All-District Football Team, as announced Wednesday.

Forman, a first-year starter on defense, has maintained a 3.75 grade point average while majoring in business at Linfield.

Through eight games, he leads the ‘Cats in solo tackles (24) and ranks third in total takedowns (38), including 3.5 tackles for loss. Forman has also snagged three interceptions, broken up four passes and blocked one punt that he recovered for a touchdown.

He has twice been recognized as the Northwest Conference Football Student-Athlete of the Week, once for his defensive efforts and once for his work with the special teams unit.

Forman was named to the first team, and therefore advances to the all-America ballot. National academic honorees will be announced later this month. He was one of four defensive backs named to the team for District VIII, a region representing Division III programs from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Canada.

The CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-America program was established in the 1950s, and every year recognizes hundreds of deserving scholar-athletes. Student-athletes are nominated by their respective institutions. Voting for Academic All-District is done by current members of the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America; the All-America team is voted upon by Academic All-America Committee members and current CoSIDA Board of Directors.