Tuesday, July 14, 2015
by Dayton Athletic Media Relations

CHICAGO – University of Dayton record-setting running back Connor Kacsor is one of 22 NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) players named Monday to the STATS FCS Offensive Player of the Year Watch List.

Kacsor, a STATS Second Team Preseason All-American, is the reigning Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Year. In 2014, he rushed for 1,547 yards, which led the PFL by more than 300 yards. He also broke Sylvester Monroe's all-time Dayton career rushing record of 2,940 yards, a record that had stood for more than 35 years.

He is the second Dayton player ever named to the Award's preseason watch list.  Steve Valentino was named in 2010.

Last season, Kacsor had seven games of at least 100 rushing yards, including three games where he rushed for more than 200 yards.

Kacsor was fifth in FCS football in rushing yards per game (140.6).  His 301 yards against Georgetown in the season opener is the Dayton record, and he was the only FCS player with three rushing performances of 210 yards or more this season.

The Leo, Ind. Native is everything you want in a running back.  In 2014, he demonstrated he is powerful (301 yards vs. Georgetown), fast (three TD's of 50 yards or more vs. Morehead State), durable (47 carries vs. Davidson), dependable (65 of his 81 yards at Marist came in the fourth quarter with UD protecting a lead) and clutch (four TD's in five overtimes at Davidson).

Dayton was 8-3 in 2014, and finished tied for second in the Pioneer Football League with a 6-2 PFL record.  The Flyers returns 14 starters (six offense, seven defense, one specialist) and 43 letterwinners in 2015.