The Northwest Missouri State University football team had two student-athletes, Jackson Barnes and Zach Howard, named to the 2021 Academic All-America® NCAA Division II football team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors Association (CoSIDA).

This marks the fourth time since 2018 that two Bearcats have earned Academic All-America honors in the same year.

The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2020-21 Division II Academic All-America® program. 

Jackson Barnes (Kansas City, Mo. / Liberty HS) earned First Team Academic All-America® honors in 2021. It marks the second Academic All-America® selection for Barnes after he earned second-team status the previous year. Barnes had an undergraduate 3.96 cumulative grade point average in chemistry/medicinal chemistry that went along with his 4.0 GPA in his MBA work. Barnes began his Bearcat career as a walk-on and concluded it with a D2CCA First-Team All-America distinction. Barnes earned first-team All-MIAA status in 2021 after notching second-team honors in 2019. Barned led the Bearcats in tackles with 92 this season. He registered 12.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.5 quarterback sacks, seven pass breakups, an interception, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal. Barnes secured a career-high 15 tackles in Northwest's 28-9 NCAA Div. II playoff win at Harding. In three playoff games this season, Barnes posted 31 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss, a half a sack and a blocked kick. Barnes was a two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Week in 2021.

Zach Howard (Bolivar, Mo. / Bolivar HS) collected  Second Team Academic All-America® honors in 2021 after previously being named a second-team selection in 2020-21. Howard had a 3.58 cumulative grade point average in physical education. Howard secured first-team all-MIAA status along with second-team D2CCA all-region honors in 2021. He ranked second in the MIAA with 8.5 quarterback sacks. Howard ranked sixth on the team with 40 total tackles. He was second on the squad with 13.5 tackles-for-loss. Howard had a season-high seven tackles in Northwest's demolition of Nebraska-Kearney, 66-13. Howard has accumulated 17.0 career quarterback sacks.

The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist CoSIDA with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2021-22 Division II Academic All-America® teams program.

Northwest's All-Time Academic All-America Selections
Chip Gregory, LB - 1981 (First Team)
Josh Lamberson, QB - 2004 (First Team)
Troy Tysdahl, LB - 2004 (First Team)
Josh Lamberson, QB - 2005 (First Team)
Myles Burnsides, DB - 2008 (Second Team)
Myles Burnsides, DB - 2009 (First Team)
Sean Paddock, DL - 2009 (Second Team)
Jake Soy, WR - 2010 (Second Team)
Trevor Adams, QB - 2011 (Second Team)
Trevor Adams, QB - 2012 (Second Team)
Nate DeJong, DB - 2012 (Second Team)
Trevor Adams, QB - 2013 (First Team)
Eric Reimer, LB - 2013 (Second Team)
Eric Reimer, LB - 2014 (First Team)
Kyle Zimmerman, QB - 2016 (First Team)
Marqus Andrews, TE - 2018 (First Team)
Ryan Spelhaug, OL - 2018 (First Team)
Marqus Andrews, TE - 2019 (Second Team)
Ryan Spelhaug, OL - 2019 (First Team)
Jackson Barnes, LB - 2020-21 (Second Team)
Zach Howard, DT - 2020-21 (Second Team)
Jackson Barnes, LB - 2021 (First Team)
Zach Howard, DT - 2021 (Second Team)