CLEVELAND – Two University of Dayton football players – junior safety David Leisring and senior running back Tucker Yinger – have been named to the 20th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star Team.  The 49-man team was announced by the FCS ADA Jan. 6.

Schools are limited to two nominations each year, and Dayton is one of just 10 institutions to have both of their student-athletes named.  The other schools are Bucknell, Columbia, Dartmouth, Jacksonville State, North Dakota State, Penn, fellow Pioneer Football league member San Diego, Southern Utah and Western Illinois.

"One of the most important responsibilities that the FCS ADA has is the selection of the Annual Academic All Star Team," stated FCS ADA President Thorr Bjorn, director of athletics at University of Rhode Island. "The 49 young men selected this year are truly impressive. They have been leaders on their individual campuses and have excelled in the classroom, and in their communities as well as on the football field. 

"They represent the best and the brightest within FCS football and now we have the honor of naming them to the 2017 Academic All-Star Team."

A two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American, Leisring led the Flyers in total tackles (87) and solo tackles (54) this season, even though he missed one game.  He was tied for second in the PFL in interceptions per game (0.40, tied with teammate Tim Simon), fourth in passes defended (1.10) and sixth in tackles (8.7).  The Cincinnati St. Xavier product has a 3.94 cumulative grade point average while majoring in finance.  He is also the community service representative on the executive board of UD's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Yinger is also a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and has been an academic all-district selection for the last three years.  He was named First Team All-Pioneer Football League in 2017 after his first 1,000 yard season this year.  He was third in the PFL in rushing (98.9 yards a game) with seven 100-yard games.  He is now sixth in career rushing at Dayton with 2,417 yards and has a yards-per-carry average of 5.8.  A mechanical engineering major, the Columbus St. Francis de Sales product has a 3.81 GPA.
 
Football players from all Football Championship Subdivision institutions are eligible for the award. Each of the nominees were required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or key player with legitimate athletics credentials. He must have reached his second year of athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. He must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at his designated position. 

A special Review Committee of Football Championship Subdivision athletics directors was responsible for selecting the all-star team and scholarship finalists. Completing this task were Thorr Bjorn, Rhode Island (chair); Bruce McCutcheon, Lafayette; Bill Smith, Bryant; and Nathan Pine, Holy Cross.