Wednesday, November 29, 2023
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Pioneer Football League’s football communications directors named Valparaiso redshirt junior linebacker Evan Annis the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Wednesday, leading a group of 56 student-athletes named to the 31st Academic All-PFL teams, announced Wednesday.
Annis, a illiard, Ohio native, is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering and entered this season with a 3.94 cumulative grade-point average. He is a three-time First Team Academic All-PFL selection, previously earning first-team honors in Spring 2021 and Fall 2021.
Annis returned as a Beacons team captain in 2023 after missing the entire 2022 season due to injury. He made the most of his return and earned Second Team All-PFL honors earlier this week. He led Valparaiso with 79 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three pass breakups, and four quarterback pressures. Annis earned Valparaiso’s 2021 Koenig Award, presented to the football student-athlete with outstanding sportsmanship and character. Last season, he was named the Beacons’ “Most Inspirational Award.”
Butler offensive lineman Bryan Bystol joined an elite group of PFL student-athletes to earn First Team Academic All-PFL recognition four times during their career. Morehead State offensive lineman Jaxen Spears and Dayton offensive lineman David Tkatch joined Annis as PFL student-athletes to earn a third First Team Academic All-PFL honor this season.
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 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, reach his second season academically and played at least one full season at his current institution.
2023 Academic All-Pioneer Football League First Team |
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(as selected by PFL athletics communications directors) | |||||
Student-Athlete | School | Class. | Pos | GPA | Major |
OFFENSE |
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Luke Bailey | Drake | Sr. | QB | 3.70 | Economics/Finance |
Bryan Bystol (4x, 1) | Butler | RSr. | OL | 4.00 | Middle/Secondary Education |
Dylan DeMaison | Dayton | RJr. | OL | 3.71 | Mechanical Engineering |
Chris Leonardo | Marist | RFr. | OL | 3.97 | Economics |
Jimmy Poremba | Drake | Grad. | OL | 3.80 | Secondary Education |
Tytus Ragle | Valparaiso | RJr. | WR | 3.96 | Biology/Chemistry |
Alec Rasmussen (1) | St. Thomas | Jr. | OL | 3.84 | Business Administration: Financial Management |
Mason Sheron | Davidson | So. | RB | 3.93 | Undeclared |
Jaxen Spears (3x, 1) | Morehead State | Jr. | OL | 4.00 | University Studies |
David Tkatch (3x, 1) | Dayton | Frad. | OL | 3.86 | MBA |
Derek Willits (1) | Dayton | RSr. | WR | 3.97 | Biochemistry |
DEFENSE |
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Evan Annis (3x) | Valparaiso | RSr. | LB | 3.94 | Bioengineering |
Nick Bafia | Butler | Jr. | DB | 3.70 | Business/Finance and Risk Management |
Jonathan Bunce (1) | St. Thomas | Jr. | LB | 3.92 | Business Administration: Operations and Supply Chain Mgmt. |
Garrett Carney (2) | San Diego | Sr. | LB | 3.71 | Computer Science |
Finn Claypool (2) | Drake | RSo. | DL | 3.44 | Marketing |
Johnson Fallah | St. Thomas | Grad. | DB | 4.00 | Business Administration: Organizational Leadership |
Sam Hafner (1) | Valparaiso | RJr. | DL | 3.78 | Biology |
Mason Henry | Dayton | RJr. | DL | 3.97 | Mechanical Engineering |
Edward Hernandez | Stetson | Grad. | DL | 4.00 | Marketing |
Justin Iaccio | Marist | Grad. | LB | 3.66 | Information Systems |
Jeremy Jonozzo | Dayton | RSo. | CB | 3.94 | Accounting |
Kurt Kessen | Valparaiso | Sr. | DL | 3.99 | Mechanical Engineering |
Jack Wiese (1) | Davidson | Sr. | LB | 4.00 | Psychology |
SPECIAL TEAMS |
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Shane Dunning (2) | Drake | Sr. | K/P | 3.77 | Management & Organizational Leadership/Marketing |
Ezra King | Presbyterian | Sr. | P | 4.00 | Business Management |
Evan Matthes | Valparaiso | 6th Yr. | P | 3.88 | Sports Administration |
Notes in parentheses: (4x) – A four-time First Team Academic All-PFL Selection; (3x) – A three-time First Team Academic All-PFL selection; (1) – A 2022 First Team Academic All-PFL selection; (2) – A 2022 Second Team Academic All-PFL selection. |
2023 Academic All-Pioneer Football League Second Team |
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Student-Athlete | School | Class | Pos. | GPA | Major |
OFFENSE |
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Cade Beam | Dayton | RJr. | H-Back | 3.97 | Finance |
Carter Cravens | Morehead State | RSo. | QB | 3.47 | Finance |
Adam Dolan | Butler | RSo. | OL | 3.80 | Finance Accounting |
Colin Howard | Drake | Sr. | WR | 3.77 | Management & Organizational Leadership/Economics |
Owen Keane | Butler | RJr. | OL | 3.63 | Pharmacy |
Ethan Loss | Butler | RFr. | WR | 3.92 | Business |
Ryan Mann | Valparaiso | RSo. | RB | 3.62 | Finance |
Re-al Mitchell | San Diego | Grad. | WR | 3.63 | Leadership Studies |
Trey Radocha | Drake | Sr. | WR | 3.75 | Economics |
Brody Reina | Davidson | So. | WR | 3.93 | Undeclared |
Gage Vander Leest | Drake | Sr. | FB | 3.73 | Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology |
Maxwell Weaver | Davidson | Jr. | WR | 3.74 | Economics |
Elijah Workinger | Stetson | Grad. | TE | 3.83 | MBA |
DEFENSE |
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CJ Grisar | Drake | Jr. | DB | 3.99 | Finance |
Jonathan Hammond | Davidson | Sr. | DL | 3.39 | Communications |
Eric Haney | San Diego | Sr. | DB | 3.53 | Mechanical Engineering |
Alex Herriott | Presbyterian | Jr. | LB | 3.35 | Business Management |
Jahleel Holmes | Morehead State | Grad. | LB | 3.47 | Biology |
Joshua Hughes | Stetson | Grad. | DL | 3.89 | Computer Science |
Lucas Kozlowski | Butler | RJr. | DB | 3.60 | Finance |
Joey Lukrich | Drake | Sr. | DB | 3.81 | Finance |
Jihad McCall | Morehead State | RSo. | DB | 3.54 | Exercise Science |
Tyler Radocha | Drake | Sr. | DB | 3.75 | Finance |
Anthony Thornton | Presbyterian | Sr. | DB | 3.74 | Business Administration |
Grif Wurtz | St. Thomas | Sr. | DB | 3.82 | Economics: Business |
SPECIAL TEAMS |
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Justin Iaccio | Marist | Grad. | LS | 3.66 | Information Systems |
Brady McKnight | Morehead State | Jr. | LS | 3.78 | Agribusiness |
Sam Webster | Dayton | Sr. | K | 3.59 | Finance |
Luka Zurak | Butler | RJr. | P/K | 3.55 | Economics |