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Grant Huckstein is one of four Flyers who were also named Academic All-Distrcit. |
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The University of Dayton football team had 10 of its student-athletes named to the Pioneer Football League’s 2012 All-Academic Team. This is the ninth straight season, and the 18th in the 20-year history of the league, that UD has had the most academic team members.
Dayton has two members each on the first team offensive and defensive squads. Senior slot receiver Robert Strong, redshirt sophomore running back Grant Huckstein, senior Flyer Joe Janasek and sophomore safety Matt Bianco were all named to the first team.
Strong, a graduate of Stevenson High School in Detroit, is the 2012 Andy Zulli Award winner. A four-year letterwinner, he played his first three seasons on defense before moving to receiver for this season. He finished third on the team UD in receptions (23 for 210 yards, 9.1 avg.). He is a Chemical Engineering major with a 3.63 GPA. He is also the co-author of a research paper that has been accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed journal, Polymer.
Huckestein is a redshirt sophomore running back from Pittsburgh’s North Allegheny High School. He was one of six Flyer running backs who gained at least 100 yards this season. He played in six games, with 131 net yards (4.5 yard per carry average). A Mechanical Engineering major, he has a 3.76 grade point average.
Janasek is a senior from Solon, Ohio. He has a 3.55 grade point average in Pre-Physical Therapy. Despite being sidelined two games with injuries, he was third on the team in tackles (58) and quarterback hurries (3). He also had five tackles in the backfield and three pass breakups.
Bianco, a sophomore Pre-Med Major from Strongsville, Ohio, had 46 tackles despite missing two games with injuries. He also had an interception and a fumble recovery. In addition he led the Flyers in kickoff return average (21.4 yards per return) and returned five punts for 43 yards. He carries a 3.60 GPA.
Six Flyers were named Second Team Academic All-PFL. They were redshirt sophomore quarterback Will Bardo (Mechanical Engineering/Ft. Thomas, KY), senior offensive guard Tom Corcoran (Communications Management/Pittsburgh, PA), senior linebacker Colin Monnier (Pre-Med/Chicago, IL), redshirt senior center Bill Petraiuolo (Pre-Med/Highland Heights, OH), redshirt senior cornerback Matt Pfleger (Marketing & Finance/Knoxville, TN) and redshirt freshman punter Kyle Pignatiello (Sport Management/Tipp City, OH).
The Academic All-PFL team was created in 1993 to recognize student-athletes who excel on the field and in the classroom. The student athlete must be a starter or important reserve, reached sophomore standing academically and have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average.
