ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The Pioneer Football League named 30 total student-athletes to its Preseason All-Conference team, including 15 returning First Team All-PFL players, the league announced on Wednesday.
Defending league champion Drake led the conference with six players filling seven different All-PFL slots. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year and 2024 Preseason All-American
Finn Claypool highlighted the Bulldogs' nominees and was the only Drake defender listed.
Offensively, Walter Payton Award Watch List member
Luke Bailey was named Preseason All-PFL quarterback. Bailey was joined by wide receiver
Mitchell January and offensive lineman
Ross Palmer. Drake specialists
Shane Dunning (kicker and punter) and
Brett Welsing (long snapper) rounded out the Bulldogs' honorees. Dunning was also an individual award winner last season as the PFL Special Teams Player of the Year.
Elsewhere in the Pioneer Football League, Davidson had four student-athletes named to the all-preseason squad. Butler, Morehead State, Presbyterian, and San Diego each had three selections. Dayton and St. Thomas each picked up two preseason picks while Marist, Stetson, and Valparaiso claimed one honoree each.
The upcoming 2024 season marks the 32
nd year of the Pioneer Football League. The league will feature 11 teams, each playing an eight-game schedule to determine the conference champion and recipient of the automatic big to the NCAA FCS Championship.
2024 All-Pioneer Football League Preseason Team
|
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown |
| OFFENSE |
| WR |
Mitchell January (2) |
Drake |
6-1 |
182 |
Jr. |
Richfield, Minn. |
| WR |
Dominic Kibby (1) |
Presbyterian |
6-1 |
175 |
Jr. |
Catonsville, Md. |
| WR |
Ryan Upp (1) |
Morehead State |
5-10 |
175 |
Sr. |
Leesburg, Va. |
| QB |
Luke Bailey (2) |
Drake |
6-2 |
190 |
Gr. |
Lemont, Ill. |
| RB |
Mari Adams (2) |
Davidson |
5-10 |
210 |
Jr. |
Shelby, N.C. |
| RB |
Hope Adebayo (2) |
St. Thomas |
5-8 |
216 |
Sr. |
St. Paul, Minn. |
| FB |
Joey Suchy (1) |
Butler |
6-0 |
224 |
Jr. |
Mayfield Heights, Ohio |
| AP |
Ryan Upp (2) |
Morehead State |
5-10 |
175 |
Sr. |
Leesburg, Va. |
| TE |
Worth Warner (1) |
Presbyterian |
6-4 |
215 |
5th |
Raleigh, N.C. |
| OL |
Dylan DeMaison (1) |
Dayton |
6-2 |
296 |
RSr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
| OL |
Adam Dolan (1) |
Butler |
6-8 |
310 |
RJr. |
Clarkston, Mich. |
| OL |
Malik McDaniel (2) |
Davidson |
6-1 |
295 |
Sr. |
Bartlett, Tenn. |
| OL |
Ross Palmer (1) |
Drake |
6-6 |
387 |
Gr. |
Waukee, Iowa |
| OL |
Alec Rasmussen (1) |
St. Thomas |
6-7 |
307 |
Sr. |
Wayzata, Minn. |
| DEFENSE |
| DL |
Finn Claypool (1, DPotY) |
Drake |
6-1 |
232 |
RJr |
Des Moines, Iowa |
| DL |
Malachi Cooper (2) |
San Diego |
6-4 |
260 |
Sr. |
San Diego, Calif. |
| DL |
Sam Hafner (1) |
Valparaiso |
6-2 |
260 |
RSr. |
Green Bay, Wis. |
| DL |
Julian Rawlins (1) |
Davidson |
6-2 |
225 |
Sr. |
Huntersville, N.C. |
| LB |
Alex Herriott (1) |
Presbyterian |
5-11 |
210 |
Sr. |
Hanahan, S.C. |
| LB |
Chase Lyons (H) |
San Diego |
6-4 |
224 |
Gr. |
Aurora, Colo. |
| LB |
Andrew Martin (H) |
Stetson |
6-1 |
221 |
So. |
McDonough, Ga. |
| LB |
Aiden McKinley (H) |
Dayton |
6-2 |
221 |
RJr. |
Louisville, Ky. |
| DB |
Nick Bafia (1) |
Butler |
6-1 |
190 |
Sr. |
Naperville, Ill. |
| DB |
Daniel Carter (2) |
Davidson |
6-2 |
210 |
Sr. |
Denver, N.C. |
| DB |
Eric Haney (1) |
San Diego |
5-10 |
180 |
Gr. |
Peoria, Ariz. |
| DB |
Jihad McCall (2) |
Morehead State |
6-1 |
190 |
RSr. |
Jersey City, N.J. |
| SPECIAL TEAMS |
| PK |
Shane Dunning (1) |
Drake |
6-0 |
212 |
Gr. |
Muskego, Wis. |
| P |
Shane Dunning (2) |
Drake |
6-0 |
212 |
Gr. |
Reston, Va. |
| RS |
Tristan Shannon (H) |
Marist |
5-7 |
183 |
5th |
Bowie, Md. |
| LS |
Brett Welsing (2) |
Drake |
6-3 |
233 |
Jr. |
De Pere, Wis. |
| Symbols in parentheses: (1) was a First Team All-PFL selection in 2023; (2) was a Second Team All-PFL selection in 2023; (H) was an Honorable Mention All-PFL selection in 2023. |
