Nov. 20, 2005

The University of Dayton has placed the most student-athletes on the Academic All-Pioneer Football League squads for the third straight year, and for the 11th time in the 13-year history of the league. Eleven Flyers were picked in a vote of the league's sports information directors. PFL champion San Diego had ten players named.

Sophomore safety Brandon Cramer (Toledo, OH) was a unanimous selection. Joining him on the defensive first team was senior linebacker John Hoppe (Northbrook, IL). Dayton players chosen to the offensive first team were redshirt sophomore quarterback Kevin Hoyng (Coldwater, OH), senior center Ryan McNulty (Cleveland, OH), senior tight end John Schmall (Columbus, OH) and senior tailback Steve Verhoff (Wellington, OH).

Junior defensive tackle Chad Burton (Germantown, OH), junior placekicker Josh Heyne (Cincinnati, OH), junior linebacker Brian Kelly (Cincinnati, OH) senior offensive tackle Ryan Winner (Greenville, OH) and senior defensive end Scott Wintering (Columbus, OH) all made the second team.

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 and have a 3.00 cumulative grade point average.

Since the team's origin in 1993, over a quarter (124 of 435) of the PFL All-Academic selections have been Dayton Flyers.

Cramer, Hoppe, McNulty, Schmall and Verhoff had already been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team. Cramer and McNulty were named to the first team, and appear on the national ballot for Academic All-America.

The Flyers were 9-1 in 2005, and are currently ranked #2 in the Sports Network's Division I-AA Mid-Major rankings.