Complete PFL Release (PDF)
The University of Dayton football team had 10 of its student-athletes named to the Pioneer Football League's 2013 All-Academic Team. The Flyers had the most first-team selections (five, tied with Butler) and the most overall (10, tied with Drake). This is the 10th straight season, and the 19th in the 21-year history of the league, that UD has had the most academic team members.
Senior running back Grant Huckestein was named First Team Academic All-Pioneer Football League for the second straight year. Huckestein is a senior running back from Pittsburgh's North Allegheny High School. He was one of eight repeat First Team Academic All-PFL selections. He played in all 11 games, primarily on special teams. Huckestein had 34 yards rushing in 2013, and returned three kickoffs for a 12.7 yard average. A mechanical engineering major, he has a 3.72 grade point average.
Also on the first team offense was quarterback Will Bardo, who was a second-team selection in 2012. A three-year starter, Bardo moved into second place on UD's career total yardage list this season. The senior from Highlands High School in Ft. Thomas, Ky., completed 144 of 262 yards passing (.550) for 1,920 yards and 13 TD. He also gained 519 yards on 96 rushing attempts (5.4 avg.) and scored nine touchdowns. He carries a 3.34 GPA in mechanical engineering.
The third UD player on the first team offense was senior wide receiver Ross Smith. Smith, a senior business major from Lewis Center, Ohio (Olentangy Orange High School), had already been named First Team Capital One Academic All-District. He caught at least one pass in his last 20 games. He was second on the team in receptions, catching 35 for 417 yards (11.9 avg.). He carries a 3.53 GPA.
The only Flyer on the defensive first team is sophomore safety Danny Leach. Leach has an impressive 3.95 cumulative grade point average as a double major in entrepreneurship and marketing. He is a graduate of South High School in Downer's Grove, Ill. In seven games this season, Leach had 24 tackles and a pass deflected. Seventeen of his 24 hits were solo tackles.
Redshirt freshman William Will was on the first team as a special teams player. In a matter of 15 months, Will went from being an unrecruited walk-on to a First Team All-Pioneer Football League placekicker. In his first year of collegiate action, the sophomore was 10 of 12 on field goals and 41 of 43 in PAT. He was five-of-six in field goals from beyond 30 yards and was Dayton's leading scorer with 71 points. He is from Mokena, Ill., and graduated from Lincoln Way East High School. He carries a 3.46 GPA in marketing.
The five Flyers named Second Team Academic All-PFL were sophomore linebacker Christopher Beaschler (3.67 in mechanical engineering), senior offensive guard Chris Cortopassi (3.39, double major in biology & pre-dentistry), redshirt senior linebacker Colin Monnier (3.48 in pre-med), sophomore offensive tackle Zac Morgan (3.49, double major in entrepreneurship & accounting) and sophomore wide receiver Cory Stuart (3.77 in pre-physical therapy).
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.
