Sophomores DJ Bednar and Evan Garrad (23) of the University of Missouri–St. Louis men’s soccer team have both been named to the 2014 Division II District 4 Capital One Academic All-District Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their performance in the classroom and on the field.

Bednar has maintained a 3.76 grade point average in electrical engineering, while Garrad sports a 3.94 grade point average in biology.

Bednar played in all 18 games this season, starting five. He is second on the team with five goals and is the co-team leader with six assists for 16 points. Among his goals are game-winners against Bellarmine and Maryville.

Garrad started all 18 contests this season and has one assist. Defensively, he has helped the UMSL Tritons to eight shutouts and just 16 goals by opponents.

UMSL is 12-4-2 overall and wrapped up GLVC play with an 11-3-1 mark. The 12 overall wins tie the most under a Dan King coached team in his 14 years at the helm, while the 11 GLVC wins are a program best.

The Tritons earned the league’s No. 3 seed in the 2014 GLVC Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament and lost 2-0 in the quarterfinal round against No. 6 seed Indianapolis.

To be eligible for nomination to the Capital One Academic All-District Team, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore in academic standing with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average and must be a starter or an important reserve.

Bednar and Garrard are both now eligible to be selected to the Academic All-America Team.

The duo is the first UMSL men’s soccer players to earn Academic All-District distinction since Jack McKenna did so in 2009.