Two University of Dayton football players have been named to the 2013 University Division Capital One Academic All-District V First Team. The two are senior wideout Ross Smith and sophomore safety Danny Leach.

The Capital One All-District team is the first step in selecting this year's Academic All-America team. Everyone named to the district first teams appear on the Capital One Academic All-America national ballot.

Smith, a senior Business major from Lewis Center, Ohio, has caught at least one pass in 18 straight games. He is third on the team in receptions (25) and yards per catch (13.7). Smith was second for UD with 26 catches in 2012. He carries a 3.53 GPA.

Leach has an impressive 3.95 cumulative grade point average as a double major in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. He is a sophomore safety from Downer's Grove, Ill. In five games this season, Leach has 21 tackles and a pass deflected. Fifteen of his 21 hits are solo tackles.

In addition to Smith and Leach, John Howe and Jonathan Nelson were named from the men's soccer team, and in women's soccer, Megan Herr, Sarah Senoyuit, Juliana Libertin and Meghan Scharer were selected.

The District V teams are made up of student-athletes from Division I-A and I-AA schools in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, along with a select number of Division II schools. To be nominated, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve, and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 or higher. Team members are selected by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) within the district.

The Dayton football program has produced 22 Academic All-Americans since the 2000 season. That's the most by any school at any level of college football, and includes the 2007 Division I ESPN The Magazine All-American of the Year, Brandon Cramer.

In the history of the Academic All-America program, UD football has had 52 Academic All-Americans. Only Nebraska (104), Penn State (62) and Notre Dame (58) have had more. UD has had at least one football player named an Academic All-American in 25 of the last 28 years. In all sports, Dayton has had at least one Academic All-American for 29 straight years.

Dayton (6-3, 4-2 PFL) plays at Drake Saturday at 2 p.m. ET.