ST. LOUIS -- University of Dayton junior running back Jake Chisholm has been named the 2021 Pioneer Football League Scholar-Athlete of the Year in an announcement by the league office today. 

This is the fourth time a Flyer was named the PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year in the eight years of the award.  Christopher Beaschler was named in 2015 and 2016, while Tucker Yinger was the 2018 winner.  No other PFL Team has more than two.

Chisholm was a unanimous First Team Academic All-PFL selection and was a First Team All-PFL pick as both a running back and all-purpose back this season. A pre-medicine major – with minors in Chemistry, Biology, and Medicine – he carries a 3.98 grade-point average. The Flyer co-captain is a two-time CoSIDA Academic All-American (1st team in 2020, 3rd team in 2019) and is on the national ballot again a nominee is 2021 after earning Academic All-District honors earlier this month.

Chisholm led the PFL in rushing (103.3 yards per game), scoring (11.0 points per game) and all-purpose yardage (163.9 yards per game).  Playing behind a brand-new and improving offensive line, he finished the year with 502 yards and 13 touchdowns over the last three games, all Flyer wins.  He leads FCS football in carries per game (23.5) and touchdowns per game (1.8).  He is second nationally in all-purpose yardage.  

He is one of 25 finalists for the Stats Perform FCS Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the subdivision's offensive player of the year. 

Joining Chisholm as a PFL First Team All-Academic selection were quarterback Jack Cook (3.35/Finance), center Dylan DeMaison (3.83/Mechanical Engineering), tight end Andrew Holderer (3.94/Pre-Dentistry), linebacker Ben Schmiesing (3.95/Business) and offensive tackle David Tkatch (3.86/Finance).

Flyers on the second team were safety Brandon Easterling (3.46/Management Information Systems), punter Drew Nieman (3.81/Mechanical Engineering) and cornerback Elijah Smith (3.96 Business Economics).

Chisholm, Easterling, Schmiesing and Smith were all named First Team CoSIDA Academic All-District and are on the national ballot for Academic All-America.
The PFL communications directors vote on the Academic All-FL teams.


Running back Jake Chisholm (3.97, Pre-Med), safety Brandon Easterling (3.47, Management Information Systems), safety Tim Simon (3.83, Mechanical Engineering) and punter Allen Waltz (3.96, Computer Engineering) were named to the first team.

Linebacker Anthony Best (3.97, Engineering), wideout/punt returner Kyle Butz (3.54, Sport Management), defensive end Nate Obringer (3.68, double major in Finance & Entrepreneurship) and wide receiver Ryan Skibinski (3.45, Finance) were named to the second team.

Pioneer Football League athletic directors established the Academic All-PFL squads in 1993 as a way to recognize the league's outstanding student-athletes. To be eligible for Academic All-PFL consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00.