CLEVELAND, Ohio – Gardner-Webb quarterback Lucas Beatty was named Friday to the prestigious Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors (FCS ADA) All-Star Team.

The team, which considers candidates based on academic and athletic success, is in its 17th season. Beatty is the third Gardner-Webb student-athlete to appear on the team, joining former Runnin' Bulldogs Hunter Smith (2006) and Jamie Dunaway (2011, 2012). Beatty was one of three Big South Conference student-athletes to be selected to this year's team, joining Coastal Carolina's Mo Ashley and Brett Johnson.

"The FCS ADA is proud to recognize its Academic All-Star Team for the 17th-straight season," stated FCS ADA President Ken Beazer, director of athletics, Southern Utah University. "This year, the team was selected from the highest number of nominees since 2002. It is extremely admirable what our football student-athletes are able to accomplish in the classroom and on the field."

Beatty earned his undergraduate degree from Gardner-Webb in May, 2014, finishing with a 3.72 career grade point average – with a degree in Business Administration.

The Charlotte, N.C., native (Olympic HS) also posted his best season passing the football in his final campaign. Beatty completed 234-of-388 passes for 2,564 yards and 16 touchdowns – all career-high totals – and set a new Big South Conference single-game passing mark with 430 yards and five touchdowns in the win at VMI.

Beatty finished second in Gardner-Webb history with 8,175 career passing yards, completing 737-of-1209 passes to reach that total. His 61.0 percent career completion mark also ranks second in school history and his 46 career touchdowns accounted for ranks sixth. Beatty also finished his career ranked second in school history for career completions and attempts.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound standout became just the second passer in Gardner-Webb history to reach 2,000 yards in three consecutive seasons – joining Hall of Famer and 2002 Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Year Jeremy Martin in that exclusive club.

Beatty also finished as the second-leading passer in the history of the Big South Conference.

Gardner-Webb opens its 2015 season on September 5, at Sun Belt contender and recent bowl participant South Alabama. That game will be played at historic Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala.