BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University senior forward Dan Rickson and sophomore defender Justin Silva have been selected to the 2022 Academic All-District® One Division III Men's Soccer Team by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).

Rickson and Silva are the fourth and fifth members of the Bridgewater State men's soccer program to earn the Academic All-District® accolade since 2001 as they join former teammate Kevin Roberts (2020) as well as Kane Moran (2018) and Brian Krug (2002). Rickson and Silva are also the only two student-athletes from the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) to garner the honor.

The 2022 Academic All-District® Men’s Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes soccer honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.

To be eligible for all-academic honors, a student-athlete must be a starter or a key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. A student-athlete must have also played in at least 50% of his team's contests for the 2022 season.

Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First, second and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early December.

A native of West Warren, Massachusetts, Rickson is majoring in aviation science and checks in with a 3.65 grade point average. In 56 games over four seasons with the Bears, Rickson made 41 starts and scored a pair of goals. He played in the defensive backfield for his first three seasons before transitioning to forward in 2022.

Silva, who hails from North Attleboro, Massachusetts, is a management major and currently sports a 3.70 GPA. A two-time All-MASCAC selection, Silva has played in 32 games (all starts) for the Bears over his first two seasons and has a goal and two assists to his credit for four points.

Rickson and Silva helped the BSU men's soccer team post a 7-8-4 record in 2022 including a 4-2-1 conference mark. Seeded fourth in the MASCAC Tournament, the Bears advanced all the way to the conference championship game before falling on penalty kicks to third-seeded Worcester State University. 

2022 CSC Academic All-District® Division III Men's Soccer Teams (PDF)