Judge Culpepper and Maxen Hook were named to the College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-America football team, it was announced Tuesday.
It is the just the second time ever that Toledo has had two players make Academic All-America and the first since 2001. Culpepper is Toledo’s first first-team selection since Dan Molls in 2012. Both players also were first-team All-MAC honorees in 2023.
“Judge and Maxen are great representations of our program and two guys that take their responsibilities on and off the field very seriously,” said Head Coach Jason Candle. “It’s a luxury to have great players like these guys that set the expectation for the rest of the program.”
Culpepper and Hook were two of seven Rockets to earn CSC Academic All-District honors in 2023. Joining them on the team were Tyler Long, David Nwaogwugwu, Nick Rosi, Garrett Schwiebert and Anthony Torres.
Culpepper graduated with a degree in history in 2022. He also earned a second degree in communications, posting a 3.798 grade point average. He led the Rockets and was fourth in the MAC with 9.0 sacks in 2023. He also led the team with 10.5 tackles for loss, earning first-team All-MAC honors in his final season wearing the Midnight Blue and Gold.
Hook, a junior who is returning for his final season as a Rocket in 2024, is an accounting major with a 3.779 GPA. He has earned All-MAC honors in each of the past three seasons, making first team in 2022 and 2023. He had 69 tackles and led Toledo with three interceptions this past season despite missing five games due to injury.
As a team, Toledo earned a combined 3.103 grade point average last semester, the highest ever in a fall term for the Rockets. The football program also had the highest Graduation Success Rate (94%) among Mid-American Conference schools in the latest figures released by the NCAA last month.
