WALTHAM, Mass. -- Brandeis University senior fencer Chris Armstrong of Highland Park, Illinois, has been named a Second-Team Division III Academic All-American® by the College Sports Information Director's Association (CoSIDA). He was named as part of the Division III At-Large team.
Armstrong is the 18th student-athlete in Brandeis history to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, the first since 2017. He is just the third fencer recognized, the first since 2003, and the first male fencer. He was the only fencer named to this year's Division III at-large team, which includes student-athletes who compete in 10 different sports. Division I and II at-large teams will be named later this week.
Armstrong, who was also named Brandeis's Charlie A. Napoli Scholar-Athlete Award winner as the department of athletics' top performer in the classroom and in competition, graduates with a 3.98 grade-point average as a chemistry and physics double major. He served as a physics teaching assistant and went on an archaeological dig to Greece during his career. Armstrong was named Phi Beta Kappa as a junior.
As part of the fencing team, he was a four-year letter-winner and two-year starter in epee. He had 107 career victories and was the runner-up at the 2019 New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference championships. Armstrong was one of five fencers to represent the Judges on their annual trip to Asia last summer.
The 2020 Academic All-America® Men's At-Large Team, selected by CoSIDA, recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in athletic competition and in the classroom. The CoSIDA Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
The Division II and III CoSIDA Academic All-America® programs are partially financially supported by the NCAA Division II and III national governance structures to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2019-20 Divisions II and III Academic All-America® programs. The NAIA CoSIDA Academic All-America® program is partially financially supported through the NAIA national office.
For more information about CoSIDA's Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit www.AcademicAllAmerica.com on CoSIDA.com.
Click here for the full CoSIDA Academic All-America Division III At-Large team.