POSTSEASON HONORS: Four Pioneer Football League players earned All-America honors in 2009. Dayton’s J.J. Vercammen was named to two All-America squads and Morehead State’s Wes McDermott earned Associated Press recognition.
- J.J. Vercammen, Dayton (Sports Network Second-Team Defense, College Sporting News Fabulous Fifty All-America Team)
- Wes McDermott, Morehead State (Associated Press Third-Team All-America)
- Nick Andre, Marist (College Sports News Honorable Mention All-America)
- Steve Platek, Drake (College Sports News Honorable Mention All-America)
FCS ACADEMIC ALL-STARS: Four Pioneer Football League student-athletes were among 55 FCS student-athletes selected to the 12th annual Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association Academic All-Star Team:
- Terrence Turner, Marist
- Wes McDermott, Morehead State
- Brandon Wingeier, Dayton
- Adam Rundh, Valparaiso
THREE PFL STUDENT-ATHLETES RECEIVE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS: Valparaiso defensive lineman Adam Rundh and Dayton defensive lineman Brandson Wingeier were each named a First-Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® honorees, the College Sports Information Directors of America announced, Tuesday. Butler defensive lineman Grant Hunter was named Second-Team Academic All-America®.
Rundh, from Aalborg, Denmark, received Academic All-America recognition for the second consecutive year, earning second-team recognition last season. He tallied 36 tackles in 2009, including seven for loss. He had 3.5 quarterback sacks, two pass break-ups, and three other quarterback hurries. He also blocked an extra point attempt in the season finale against Morehead State. A two-time Honorable Mention All-Pioneer Football League selection, Rundh has been voted to the PFL All-Academic Team twice as well. An international business and finance double major, he carries a 3.94 cumulative grade point average.
Wingeier, from Newark, Ohio, carries 3.78 GPA in Mechanical Engineering. He led Dayton with 6.5 sacks in 2009. He also had 39 tackles (18 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, two fumbles recovered, one forced fumble and one interception. Dayton led the Pioneer Football League in scoring defense (13.6), passing defense (140.1) and total defense (242.6). UD was also second in FCS football in passing defense, fourth in total defense and sixth in scoring defense.
Hunter, from Liberty Township, Ohio, has a 3.62 GPA in Secondary Education. He played eight games this season due to an injury but recorded 34 tackles. He recorded 11.5 tackles for loss, including 7.5 sacks. Hunter broke up three passes, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble during the season.
PFL CHAMPIONS BUTLER AND DAYTON: Butler won a share of its second PFL championship and first since 1994. The 10 wins this season are a school-record, breaking the mark of nine wins held by five previous Butler squads. The Bulldogs appearance in the Gridiron Classic is their first postseason appearance since a 1991 showing in the NCAA Division II playoffs. It will be their first postseason appearance since moving to Division I FCS. Dayton won a share of its 10th PFL championship and first since 2007. It is Dayton’s 24th season of nine or more overall victories – 18 of those in its last 25 seasons. It is the first PFL title for the Flyers under second-year head coach Rick Chamberlin.
2009 PFL CHAMPIONSHIP WENT DOWN TO FINAL WEEK: In a bit of scheduling serendipity PFL regular-season race came down to the season’s final three weeks. Each of the league’s three unbeaten teams played one another during the final weeks and each team hosted one home game.
HUCK NAMED TO COLLEGE SPORTING NEWS ALL-STARS LIST: Butler sophomore quarterback Andrew Huck was named the the College Sporting News’ National All-Star list, Nov. 9, following his five-touchdown performance at Dayton, Nov. 7. He ran for three touchdowns and passed for another two, completing 12-of-29 passes for 146 yards and carrying the ball 12 times for 54 yards.
PFL WELL REPRESENTED ON ESPN The MAGAZINE CoSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT LIST: Twenty-Four Pioneer Football League student-athletes were selected to their respective ESPN The Magazine All-District squads as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Dayton and Marist each led the way with five first-team selections. Dayton had eight student-athletes receive either first or second team honors. A complete listing of those Pioneer Football League student-athletes receiving Academic All-District recognition are listed on page five. To be nominated, student-athletes must be a starter or important reserve, and carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher. Team members are selected by a vote of members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) within the district.
RUNDH ONE OF TEN FINALISTS FOR SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD: Valparaiso’s Adam Rundh has been named as one of the top-10 finalists for the fifth annual Sportsmanship Award handed out by the Awards and Recognition Association (ARA). The award is giving to one outstanding NCAA Division I collegiate football player who best personifies the spirit of sportsmanship. The 2009 Sportsmanship Award recipient will be chosen from one of these 10 finalists and announced this December. Rundh is one of only two finalists from NCAA Division I-FCS schools. To qualify for the award, an athlete must be a starting player or significant contributor on his team; be an athlete in good academic standing; demonstrate great respect for competitors, school, teammates and coaches; show an ability to accept victory and defeat graciously; convey a high degree of humility and integrity; and demonstrate commitment in the classroom and to the community.
YOUTH MOVEMENT AT SIGNAL CALLER: A youth movement was afoot among the PFL’s quarterback corps. Four teams – Butler, Drake, Jacksonvile and Valparaiso – regularly used a sophomore signal caller this season while Marist has seen its sophomore quarterback split time with a senior. Three sophomores – Butler’s Andrew Huck, Jacksonvile’s Josh McGregor and Drake’s Mike Piatkowski – are ranked 1-2-3 among the league’s passing yardage leaders. No. 4 on the list is Dayton senior quarterback Steve valentino who started at quarterback for the first time in his collegiate career.
PFL ALUMNI IN THE NFL: Three PFL alumni ended the National Football League’s regular-season on an active roster. San Diego had two alumni active: Tampa Bay quarterback Josh Johnson and Tennessee linebacker Eric Bakhitiari. Drake had the PFL’s other alumnus as Billy Cundiff, in his sixth season, began the season with Cleveland but finished the regular-season with Baltimore and was on the Ravens post-season roster. In addition, San Diego alumnus John Matthews was signed by the Indianapolis Colts to their practice squad in time for the playoffs.
CAMPBELL POSTS FIRST HOME VICTORY: A long wait came to and end, Sept. 5, when Campbell defeated Methodist, 48-28, at Barker-Lane Stadium. It was the Camels first victory at their home constructed prior to the 2008 campaign as part of its return to football.
WELCOME MARIST: For the second-straight season the Pioneer Football League welcomes a new member into its ranks. Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. becomes the league’s 10th member. A former member of the Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceFootball League, the Red Foxes played 2008 as an independent, posting a 4-7 record, including a 1-1 record against PFL members. They followed the addition of Campbell, a first-year program, during the 2008 season.
BUTLER LINEBACKER GRANT HUNTER A PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA SELECTION: Butler’s Grant Hunter was named to Phil Steele College Football Preview’s Preseason FCS All-American Second Team. Hunter, a redshirt sophomore defensive end, was a First-Team All-Pioneer Football League selection last season after leading the league in sacks (14) – the second most in Butler program history. He also ranked second among PFL tackles in tackles for loss (18). Hunter was the lone PFL player selected among the 56 players recognized on the first and second teams.
VALPARAISO’S ADAM RUNDH NOMINATED TO ALLSTATE/AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM: Valparaiso senior defensive lineman Adam Rundh is one of a record 106 student-athletes nominated for the 2009 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Teams. Rundh has been actively involved in the Valparaiso community during his career. He has been a part of several projects at local elementary schools, including participation in a volunteer tutoring program at Parkview Elementary. Rundh also helped organize a book sale to raise money for Opportunity Enterprises, a local organization that promotes self-sufficiency and life choices for challenged individuals. He also helped with a local Christmas gift collection for local families in need. Rundh also has excelled in the classroom, earning ESPN The Magazine Second-Team Academic All-America honors as a junior. He also was a First Team Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award recipient in 2007. On the field, he has twice received honorable mention All-PFL honors.
DAYTON SHUTOUT STREAK STILL GOING STRONG: Including its 2009-ending victory against Marist, the Flyers have not been shutout in 377 consecutive games, dating back to Oct. 16, 1976. During that streak Dayton has shutout its opponent 63 times. A list of the last shutout win and loss for each PFL squad is available on page 8.
DRAKE RECORDS HISTORIC 550th VICTORY: Drake recorded the 550th win in program history with its season-opening victory against Grand View, Sept. 5. The Bulldogs are one of three PFL teams with 500 or more victories during their history.
MORE ABOUT VICTORIES: Last season, Dayton became the 11th NCAA FCS team – and the first west of the Alleghenies – to win at least 600 games in its football history when it downed Davidson. Here are the 12 members of the club, heading into the 2009 season. Yale (853), Harvard (798), Penn (796), Princeton (780), Fordham (738), Dartmouth (643), Lafayette (640), Delaware (633), Lehigh (625), Cornell (616), Dayton (603) and North Dakota State (601).
SAN DIEGO PICKED TO WIN PFL: For the fourth consecutive season, the Pioneer Football League’s coaches have tabbed San Diego as the preseason favorite in the PFL Preseason Coaches’ Poll, receiving only five of 10 possible first-place votes. While San Diego was picked to win, the league’s coaches also expect a competitive conference race as only six points separate the Toreros from Dayton and Jacksonville who were picked to finish tied for second. Dayton, a perennial favorite, picked up three first place votes and 71 points while 2008 PFL Champion Jacksonville received the other two first place votes and also finished with 71 points.
DIVISION I FCS, PLEASE: Although some people may accidentally still refer to it as I-AA football, the term that represents the level of Division I football in which the Pioneer Football League competes has been retired. Beginning with the 2006 National Championship game, the term Football Championship Subdivision (or FCS) is to be used. FCS is the only Division I football rank to host a NCAA-sponsored national championship (one of 88 championships the NCAA sponsors). The division formerly known as I-A was changed to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and those teams compete for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) national championship. Teams who play at the FCS level can offer a maximum of 63 scholarships (FBS teams can offer 85) and compete in a 20-team playoff at the end of the season to determine the national champion.
