Three Student-Athletes earn Academic All-PFL honors for third time
Wednesday, December 4, 2013 by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations SAINT LOUIS, Mo. – Fifty Pioneer Football League student-athletes have been selected to the 21st annual Academic All-PFL teams, as selected by the league’s sports information directors.
Campbell senior running back Kurt Odom, San Diego senior defensive back Robbie Beathard and San Diego senior defensive lineman Blake Oliaro became the 29th, 30th and 31st PFL student-athletes to receive First-Team Academic All-PFL honors three times during their careers.
That trio was among a group of eight First-Team Academic All-PFL selections that also earned the honor in 2012. Dayton junior running back Grant Huckenstein, Butler senior quarterback Matt Lancaster, Butler senior defensive back Jayme Szafranski, San Diego senior quarterback Mason Mills and San Diego junior defensive back Troy McClelland also returned as first-team selections.
The Academic All-PFL teams are a complement to the Capital One Academic All-America program presented by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Eleven PFL student-athletes were named to their respective Capital One Academic All-District Teams this fall. The Capital One Academic All-America Teams will be announced Thursday.
Pioneer Football League athletic directors established the Academic All-PFL squads in 1993 as a way to recognize the league’s outstanding student-athletes. To be eligible for Academic All-PFL consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 on a scale of 4.00 and reached their second season both athletically and academically at his current institution.
2013 Academic All-Pioneer Football League First Team |
(as selected by PFL sports information directors) |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major (Minor) |
OFFENSE |
Will Bardo (2) |
Dayton |
QB |
Sr. |
Ft. Thomas, Ky. |
3.34 |
Mechanical Engineering |
Ben Bolling (D) |
Campbell |
WR |
R-So. |
Knightdale, N.C. |
3.31 |
Exercise & Sports Science |
Trae Heeter (1) |
Butler |
RB |
Sr. |
Indianapolis, Ind. |
3.37 |
Elementary Education |
Grant Huckestein (1) |
Dayton |
RB |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. |
3.72 |
Mechanical Engineering |
Matt Lancaster (1) |
Butler |
QB |
Sr. |
West Lafayette, Ind. |
3.51 |
Chemistry |
Mason Mills (1) |
San Diego |
QB |
Sr. |
Coronado, Calif. |
3.29 |
Finance |
Kurt Odom (3,1,D) |
Campbell |
RB |
Sr. |
Robbinsville, N.C. |
3.96 |
Kinesiology |
Andy Rice |
Drake |
QB |
Jr. |
Stevens Point, Wis. |
3.69 |
Marketing/Management |
Brendan Shannon (2) |
Butler |
WR |
Sr. |
Lombard, Ill. |
3.43 |
Science And Technology |
Hunter Somerville (D) |
Campbell |
TE |
R-So. |
Winston-Salem, N.C. |
3.49 |
Criminal Justice |
Ross Smith (D) |
Dayton |
WR |
Sr. |
Lewis Center, Ohio |
3.53 |
Business |
|
DEFENSE |
Robbie Beathard (3,1,D) |
San Diego |
S |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
3.78 |
Accountancy |
Bryant Bednarek (D) |
Davidson |
DB |
Jr. |
Westerville, Ohio |
3.37 |
Economics |
JoJo Ciancio |
Butler |
DB |
R-Jr. |
Geneva, Ill. |
3.87 |
Economics |
Alexander Green |
Valparaiso |
LB |
So. |
Zionsville, Ind. |
3.78 |
Mechanical Engineering |
Danny Leach (D) |
Dayton |
S |
So. |
Downers Grove, Ill. |
3.95 |
Double Major: Entrepreneurship/Marketing |
Troy McClelland (1,D) |
San Diego |
LB |
Jr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
3.85 |
Accountancy |
Colin Merrill (D) |
Davidson |
DB |
Jr. |
Circleville, Ohio |
3.40 |
Biology |
Blake Oliaro (3,1,D) |
San Diego |
DE |
Sr. |
Folsom, Calif. |
3.50 |
Mechanical Engineering (Chemistry) |
Tyler Ramsey (D) |
Marist |
S |
Sr. |
Southbridge, Mass. |
3.44 |
Business Administration |
Aaron Riley (D) |
Jacksonville |
DL |
Sr. |
Jacksonville, Fla. |
3.62 |
Sociology |
Jayme Szafranski (1,D) |
Butler |
S |
Sr. |
Barrington, Ill. |
3.84 |
Finance |
|
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Chris Gorman |
Davidson |
KOS |
Sr. |
Chagrin Falls, Ohio |
3.90 |
Mathematics/Economics |
Adam Lutz (2) |
Campbell |
P/K |
Jr. |
Waxhaw, N.C. |
3.43 |
Graphic Design |
William Will |
Dayton |
K |
So. |
Mokena, Ill. |
3.46 |
Marketing |
2013 Academic All-Pioneer Football League Second Team |
(as selected by PFL sports information directors) |
Student-Athlete |
School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
GPA |
Major (Minor) |
OFFENSE |
Stuart Barkley |
Valparaiso |
OL |
Jr. |
Overland Park, Kan. |
3.65 |
Mechanical Engineering |
Jack Beck |
Drake |
OL |
Jr. |
Whitefish Bay, Wis. |
3.63 |
Marketing |
Caleb Brown |
Mercer |
RB |
R-Fr. |
Fayetteville, Ga. |
4.00 |
Psychology |
Thomas Cobbs |
San Diego |
TE |
Sr. |
Irvine, Calif. |
3.62 |
Finance |
Chris Cortopassi |
Dayton |
OL |
Sr. |
Wheaton, Ill. |
3.39 |
Double Major: Biology/Pre-Dentistry |
Jacob Dines |
Drake |
WR |
Sr. |
Osage Beach, Mo. |
3.75 |
Biology |
Aaron Johnson |
Drake |
OL |
Jr. |
Iowa City, Iowa |
3.43 |
Law Politics & Society |
Kevin Marshall |
Drake |
TE |
Sr. |
Glen Ellyn, Ill. |
3.28 |
Biochemistry Cell And Molecular Biology |
Zac Morgan |
Dayton |
OL |
So. |
Mokena, Ill. |
3.49 |
Double Major: Entrepreneurship/Accounting |
John Russ |
Mercer |
QB |
R-Fr. |
Buford, Ga. |
3.71 |
Sports Management |
Cory Stuart |
Dayton |
WR |
So. |
Solon, Ohio |
3.77 |
Pre-Physical Therapy |
|
DEFENSE |
Kyle Annis |
Butler |
DT |
R-So. |
Hilliard, Ohio |
3.59 |
Actuarial Science |
Christopher Beaschler |
Dayton |
LB |
So. |
Ada, Ohio |
3.67 |
Mechanical Engineering |
Michael Ruffino |
San Diego |
LB |
Sr. |
Napa, Calif. |
3.35 |
Electrical Engineering |
Brandon Coleman |
Drake |
DL |
Sr. |
Cary, Ill. |
3.65 |
Secondary Education |
Taylor Coleman |
Drake |
LB |
So. |
Hawthorn Woods, Ill. |
4.00 |
Law Politics & Society |
Kolby Knuth |
Drake |
DL |
Sr. |
Appleton, Wis. |
3.70 |
Accounting |
Clint Johnson |
San Diego |
DL |
Sr. |
Wheatland, Calif. |
3.56 |
History |
Travis Merritt |
Drake |
LB |
Sr. |
Johnston, Iowa |
3.74 |
Biology |
Colin Monnier |
Dayton |
LB |
Sr. |
Chicago, Ill. |
3.48 |
Pre-Medicine |
Mike Rudisill |
Campbell |
LB |
R-Sr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
3.61 |
Psychology |
Lucas Smith |
Campbell |
DL |
R-Jr. |
Lebanon, Va. |
3.70 |
Physical Education |
|
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Rob East |
Mercer |
P |
R-Fr. |
Dublin, Ga. |
3.93 |
Accounting |
Spencer Lee |
Drake |
K/P |
So. |
St. Louis, Mo. |
3.63 |
Health Sciences/Management |
Jesse Signa |
Marist |
K/P |
Sr. |
South Huntington, N.Y. |
3.30 |
Accounting |
|
|