CoSIDA – Eight University of Dayton football players -- running back Jake Chisholm, defensive end Joe Durham, linebacker Ben Schmiesing, cornerback Elijah Smith, offensive linemen Brian Stevens and David Tkatch, kicker Sam Webster and wide receiver Derek Willits– were named today to the Academic All-District 5 team, as selected by College Sport Communicators (formerly CoSIDA).

All eight will appear on the ballot for the All-America team this year.

A senior pre-med major with a 3.98 GPA, Chisholm is a three-time Academic All-American, and a finalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Award.  He ended his Flyer football career as UD's all-time record holder in all-purpose yardage (5,063 yards), second in career touchdowns (47) and third in career rushing (3,276 yards).  

Durham is a grad student who returned for 2022 after missing nearly all of 2021 due to injury.  This season he was in on 28 tackles, with four sacks and 5.5 TFL.  He carries a 3.53 GPA in Engineering Management.

Schmiesing is in line to earn his MBA this year, after graduating with honors after three years as a walk-on at Ohio State.  He led UD in tackles in 2022, with 89.  He has a 3.98 grad school GPA.  

Smith is a business management major with a 3.98 GPA.  He led UD in pass breakups (5) from his cornerback position this year.  He also had 27 tackles. 

Stevens started 22 consecutive games at three different positions on the line.  He was the 2021 Dayton Kurdziel Award winner (top lineman).  He has a 3.63 GPA in Health Sciences with a concentration in exercise and movement.

Tkatch is 3.88 student majoring in Finance.  He was Academic All-Pioneer Football League and Honorable Mention All-PFL in 2021.


Webster has a 3.55 grade point average in Finance.  He led the Pioneer Football League in field goals this season (13).  A two-time All-PFL selection, he finished his career 12th in career scoring (213 points) and third in  career conversion rates for field goals (.783) and PATs (.968).

Willits was this year's Flyer Special Teams Captain.  One of six players with at least 14 catches on the team, 12 of his 17 catches came in the season's last five games.  Willits was the 2021 winner of the John L. Macbeth Award, which goes to the member of the team with the highest grade point average on the team that year.  He has a 3.97 GPA in Biochemistry, with plans to attend medical school. 

Schmiesing and Smith were named Academic All-District for the second time, while for Chisholm it was his fourth Academic All-District honor.

Chisholm, Schmeising and Stevens were UD's team captains this year.

The Flyers finished the year 8-3 overall and 6-2 in the PFL.  It was the 43rd time in the last 45 seasons UD had a winning record.