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
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