SAINT LOUIS, Mo. – The Drake University football team led the Pioneer Football League with 10 student-athletes earning a spot on the Academic All-PFL teams. Dayton matched Drake's total with 10 while San Diego checked in with seven honorees. In all, 50 PFL student-athletes were named to the All-Academic teams.
Drake had one student-athlete, junior quarterback Andy Rice (Stevens Point, Wis.) earn first team honors while the Bulldogs dominated the second team with a staggering nine honorees. 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. Each team has a total of 25 members.
Rice earned first-team honors after a junior campaign that saw him throw for 2,801 yards with 21 touchdowns. He also ran for five scores as well. In the classroom, he boasts a 3.69 grade point average in marketing and management.
Drake's second-team honorees included four offensive players, four defenders and a specialist.
On offensive, junior lineman Jack Beck (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) earned a spot on the team thanks to 3.63 GPA in his marketing coursework while blocking for an offense that averaged 364.6 yards per game. Fellow lineman Aaron Johnson (Iowa City, Iowa) was also named to the team thanks to a 3.43 GPA in the law, politics and society curriculum. Senior wide receiver Jacob Dines (Osage Beach, Mo.) was one of just two PFL wide receivers on the second team after catching six passes for 93 yards while maintaining a 3.75 GPA in biology. Fifth-year senior tight end Kevin Marshall (Glen Ellyn, Ill.), an honorable mention All-PFL selection, was named to the All-Academic team with a 3.28 GPA in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology while hauling in 27 passes for 171 yards with two touchdowns despite being limited due to injury.
On defense, the Bulldogs' linebackers and lineman combined to split the four honors between linebackers Taylor Coleman (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) and Travis Merritt (Johnston, Iowa) and linemen Kolby Knuth (Appleton, Wis.) and Brandon Coleman (Cary, Ill.)
Brandon Coleman's honor was the third of his career following a senior season in which he ranked fifth in the PFL in both sacks and tackles for loss with 9.0 and 12.5 respectively. Academically, he was a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy – which hails itself as the academic Heisman – with a 3.65 GPA in secondary education. Knuth earned the first PFL All-Academic honor of his career by serving as the team's primary reserve on the defensive line where he recorded 14 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss while earning a 3.70 GPA in accounting. Taylor Coleman emerged into an eventual starting role in his first active season with Bulldogs and made 21 tackles on the season while maintaining a perfect 4.0 GPA the law, politics and society program. The linebacker he understudied, Merritt, battled injuries all season after leading the defense in 2012. He finished the season with 13 tackles in six games but finished his Drake career with a 3.74 GPA in biology.
Junior kickoff specialist Spencer Lee (St. Louis, Mo.) also earned a spot on the second team with a 3.63 GPA in health sciences while kicking off 52 times for an average of 59.0 yards with 13 touchbacks.
The selection of the All-Academic team completes a week of postseason award announcements for the PFL. On Dec. 3, 11 Bulldogs were named to the All-PFL teams after the squad compiled a 6-5 record to finish with a winning record for the 10th consecutive season.
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2013 Academic All-Pioneer Football League First Team
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(as selected by PFL sports information directors)
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Student-Athlete
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School
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Pos.
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Class
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Hometown
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GPA
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Major (Minor)
|
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OFFENSE
|
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Will Bardo (2)
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Dayton
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QB
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Sr.
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Ft. Thomas, Ky.
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3.34
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Mechanical Engineering
|
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Ben Bolling (D)
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Campbell
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WR
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R-So.
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Knightdale, N.C.
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3.31
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Exercise & Sports Science
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Trae Heeter (1)
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Butler
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RB
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Sr.
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Indianapolis, Ind.
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3.37
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Elementary Education
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Grant Huckestein (1)
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Dayton
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RB
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Sr.
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Pittsburgh, Pa.
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3.72
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Mechanical Engineering
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Matt Lancaster (1)
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Butler
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QB
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Sr.
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West Lafayette, Ind.
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3.51
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Chemistry
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Mason Mills (1)
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San Diego
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QB
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Sr.
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Coronado, Calif.
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3.29
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Finance
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Kurt Odom (3,1,D)
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Campbell
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RB
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Sr.
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Robbinsville, N.C.
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3.96
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Kinesiology
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Andy Rice
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Drake
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QB
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Jr.
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Stevens Point, Wis.
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3.69
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Marketing/Management
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Brendan Shannon (2)
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Butler
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WR
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Sr.
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Lombard, Ill.
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3.43
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Science And Technology
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Hunter Somerville (D)
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Campbell
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TE
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R-So.
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Winston-Salem, N.C.
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3.49
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Criminal Justice
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Ross Smith (D)
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Dayton
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WR
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Sr.
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Lewis Center, Ohio
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3.53
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Business
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DEFENSE
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Robbie Beathard (3,1,D)
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San Diego
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S
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Sr.
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San Diego, Calif.
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3.78
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Accountancy
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Bryant Bednarek (D)
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Davidson
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DB
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Jr.
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Westerville, Ohio
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3.37
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Economics
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JoJo Ciancio
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Butler
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DB
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R-Jr.
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Geneva, Ill.
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3.87
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Economics
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Alexander Green
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Valparaiso
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LB
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So.
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Zionsville, Ind.
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3.78
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Mechanical Engineering
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Danny Leach (D)
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Dayton
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S
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So.
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Downers Grove, Ill.
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3.95
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Double Major: Entrepreneurship/Marketing
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Troy McClelland (1,D)
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San Diego
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LB
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Jr.
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San Diego, Calif.
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3.85
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Accountancy
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Colin Merrill (D)
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Davidson
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DB
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Jr.
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Circleville, Ohio
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3.40
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Biology
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Blake Oliaro (3,1,D)
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San Diego
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DE
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Sr.
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Folsom, Calif.
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3.50
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Mechanical Engineering (Chemistry)
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Tyler Ramsey (D)
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Marist
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S
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Sr.
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Southbridge, Mass.
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3.44
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Business Administration
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Aaron Riley (D)
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Jacksonville
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DL
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Sr.
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Jacksonville, Fla.
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3.62
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Sociology
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Jayme Szafranski (1,D)
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Butler
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S
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Sr.
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Barrington, Ill.
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3.84
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Finance
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SPECIAL TEAMS
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Chris Gorman
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Davidson
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KOS
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Sr.
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Chagrin Falls, Ohio
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3.90
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Mathematics/Economics
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Adam Lutz (2)
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Campbell
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P/K
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Jr.
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Waxhaw, N.C.
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3.43
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Graphic Design
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William Will
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Dayton
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K
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So.
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Mokena, Ill.
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3.46
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Marketing
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Notes in parentheses: 3 – player is a three-time first-team Academic All-PFL selection; 1-was a first-team selection in 2012; 2-was a first-team selection in 2012; D-Capital One First-Team Academic All-District Selection.
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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
|
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Stuart Barkley
|
Valparaiso
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OL
|
Jr.
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Overland Park, Kan.
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3.65
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Mechanical Engineering
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|
Jack Beck
|
Drake
|
OL
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Jr.
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Whitefish Bay, Wis.
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3.63
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Marketing
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Caleb Brown
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Mercer
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RB
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R-Fr.
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Fayetteville, Ga.
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4.00
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Psychology
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Thomas Cobbs
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San Diego
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TE
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Sr.
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Irvine, Calif.
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3.62
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Finance
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Chris Cortopassi
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Dayton
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OL
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Sr.
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Wheaton, Ill.
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3.39
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Double Major: Biology/Pre-Dentistry
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Jacob Dines
|
Drake
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WR
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Sr.
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Osage Beach, Mo.
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3.75
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Biology
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Aaron Johnson
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Drake
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OL
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Jr.
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Iowa City, Iowa
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3.43
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Law Politics & Society
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Kevin Marshall
|
Drake
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TE
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Sr.
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Glen Ellyn, Ill.
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3.28
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Biochemistry Cell And Molecular Biology
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Zac Morgan
|
Dayton
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OL
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So.
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Mokena, Ill.
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3.49
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Double Major: Entrepreneurship/Accounting
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John Russ
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Mercer
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QB
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R-Fr.
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Buford, Ga.
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3.71
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Sports Management
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Cory Stuart
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Dayton
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WR
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So.
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Solon, Ohio
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3.77
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Pre-Physical Therapy
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DEFENSE
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Kyle Annis
|
Butler
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DT
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R-So.
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Hilliard, Ohio
|
3.59
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Actuarial Science
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|
Christopher Beaschler
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Dayton
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LB
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So.
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Ada, Ohio
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3.67
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Mechanical Engineering
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Michael Ruffino
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San Diego
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LB
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Sr.
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Napa, Calif.
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3.35
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Electrical Engineering
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|
Brandon Coleman
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Drake
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DL
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Sr.
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Cary, Ill.
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3.65
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Secondary Education
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|
Taylor Coleman
|
Drake
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LB
|
So.
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Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
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4.00
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Law Politics & Society
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Kolby Knuth
|
Drake
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DL
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Sr.
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Appleton, Wis.
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3.70
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Accounting
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Clint Johnson
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San Diego
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DL
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Sr.
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Wheatland, Calif.
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3.56
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History
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|
Travis Merritt
|
Drake
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LB
|
Sr.
|
Johnston, Iowa
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3.74
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Biology
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|
Colin Monnier
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Dayton
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LB
|
Sr.
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Chicago, Ill.
|
3.48
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Pre-Medicine
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|
Mike Rudisill
|
Campbell
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LB
|
R-Sr.
|
Charlotte, N.C.
|
3.61
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Psychology
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|
Lucas Smith
|
Campbell
|
DL
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R-Jr.
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Lebanon, Va.
|
3.70
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Physical Education
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SPECIAL TEAMS
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|
Rob East
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Mercer
|
P
|
R-Fr.
|
Dublin, Ga.
|
3.93
|
Accounting
|
|
Spencer Lee
|
Drake
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K/P
|
Jr.
|
St. Louis, Mo.
|
3.63
|
Health Sciences/Management
|
|
2013 Academic All-PFL
Team Breakdown
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|
Team
|
TOTAL
|
1ST
|
2ND
|
|
Butler
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
|
Campbell
|
6
|
4
|
2
|
|
Davidson
|
3
|
3
|
0
|
|
Dayton
|
10
|
5
|
5
|
|
Drake
|
10
|
1
|
9
|
|
Jacksonville
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
|
Marist
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
Mercer
|
3
|
0
|
3
|
|
Morehead State
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
San Diego
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
|
Stetson
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Valparaiso
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
|
TOTAL
|
50
|
25
|
25
|
