DAYTON, Ohio – Last year at this time, University of Dayton’s James Vercammen was getting prepared to head into his first year as the full-time starter for the Flyers at the “Flyer” position. This year, after leading the Pioneer Football League and finishing third in the nation in total tackles (134), Vercammen is getting All-America attention.

He was named to the Buchanan Award Watch List, and has been added to two preseason All-American teams, Phil Steele’s Football Championship Subdivision Pre-Season All-America Third Team and most recently The Sports Network Preseason All-American First Team.

Vercammen is the only player from the PFL on the first team and one of four from the league on any of the Sports Network preseason teams. Drake’s Dain Taylor, Butler’s Zach Watkins, and Jacksonville’s Josh Philpart each made the third team preseason list.

As a redshirt junior, Vercammen’s 134 tackles set a new single-season record in the PFL and earned him a spot on the Football Championship Subdivision All-American Second Team and All-PFL First Team. He posted eight games of double-digit tackles, including a 19 tackle, 1.5 tackle for loss and one pass breakup game against conference foe San Diego. 

Vercammen is back for his fifth-year and is one of three defensive starters returning from 2009.

Last year the Flyers finished with the league’s best total and scoring defense. Their 9-2 record earned them a share of their 10th PFL title and marked the 23rd time in school history UD has had at least nine wins in a season. Dayton enters the year with a total of 13 returning starters and 84 letterwinners, and opens the season on September 4, against Robert Morris at Welcome Stadium.