ST. LOUIS, Mo. – University of St. Thomas senior offensive lineman Alec Rasmussen is the Pioneer Football League’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and highlights the 32nd Academic All-PFL Teams as selected by the league’s football communications directors and released on Wednesday.
The PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year and 32nd Academic All-PFL Teams conclude the league’s award presentations for the 2024 seasons. The league recognized its PFL Award honorees on Monday, followed by the announcement of the 32nd All-PFL Teams on Tuesday. The PFL Academic Honor Roll, which recognizes academic achievement during the Fall 2024 semester, will be announced in February 2025.
Rasmussen, a Plymouth, Minnesota native, began the season with a 3.88 GPA as a business administration major. This is the third consecutive season he has earned First Team Academic All-PFL recognition. On Tuesday, he was recognized as a First Team All-PFL honoree for the second straight year. He played in 10 of 12 games this season, missing two due to injury, and led an offensive line that permitted 1,745 rushing yards, including 1,137 by unanimous First Team All-PFL running back Hope Adebayo.
Morehead State offensive lineman Jaxsen Spears earned his fourth consecutive First Team Academic All-PFL honor this season while beginning work toward his MBA. Valparaiso defensive lineman Sam Hafner and Dayton offensive lineman Dylan DeMaison each became a three-time First Team Academic All-PFL honoree this season. Rasmussen, Spears, Hafner, and DeMaison led a group of nine repeat First Team Academic All-PFL selections this season.
Pioneer Football League athletic directors established the Academic All-PFL squads in 1993 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, reach his second season academically and played at least one full season at his current institution.
About the Pioneer Football League
The Pioneer Football League is the only non-scholarship, football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. The PFL is a truly national conference with members on each coast and throughout the nation’s heartland. Butler University, the University of Dayton, Drake University, and Valparaiso University were among the league’s founding members in 1993, with Davidson College, Marist College, Morehead State University, Presbyterian College, the University of San Diego, the University of St. Thomas, and Stetson University joining to form the current 11-team league.
2024 Academic All-Pioneer Football League First Team
|
| Player |
School |
Class |
Pos. |
GPA |
Major |
OFFENSE
|
| Warner Bush |
Presbyterian |
Sr. |
QB |
4.00 |
Political Science |
| Dylan DeMaison (1, 3x) |
Dayton |
RSr. |
OL |
3.75 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Isaac House |
Drake |
Gr. |
OL |
4.00 |
Business Administration |
| Nick Howard |
Butler |
Gr. |
QB |
3.83 |
M.A. Strategic Communication |
| Chris Leonardo (1) |
Marist |
RSo. |
Ol |
3.87 |
Economics |
| Gavin Lochow |
Dayton |
So. |
WR |
3.74 |
Communications |
| Ryan Mann (2) |
Valparaiso |
RJr. |
RB |
3.58 |
Finance |
| Brady Meitz |
Stetson |
RJr. |
QB |
3.77 |
Biology |
| Alec Rasmussen (1, 3x) |
St. Thomas |
Sr. |
OL |
3.88 |
Business Administration |
| Mason Sheron (1) |
Davidson |
Jr. |
RB |
3.90 |
Economics |
| Jaxsen Spears (1, 4x) |
Morehead State |
Gr. |
OL |
3.66 |
MBA |
DEFENSE
|
| Luke Bauer |
Morehead State |
RJr. |
LB |
4.00 |
Accounting |
| Finn Claypool (1) |
Drake |
RJr. |
DL |
3.44 |
Business Law |
| Sam Hafner (1, 3x) |
Valparaiso |
RSr. |
DL |
3.78 |
Biology/Chemistry |
| Eric Haney (2) |
San Diego |
Sr. |
DB |
3.58 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| Jeremy Jonozzo (1) |
Dayton |
RJr. |
DB |
3.95 |
Accounting |
| Gideon Lampron |
Dayton |
RSo. |
LB |
3.58 |
Psychology |
| Matthew McClelland |
Morehead State |
RSo. |
DB |
3.90 |
Sport Management |
| Gannon McCorkle |
Marist |
Gr. |
DL |
3.65 |
B.A., Economics & Environmental Studies |
| Tyler Radocha (2) |
Drake |
Gr. |
DB |
3.90 |
Business Administration |
| Julian Rawlins |
Davidson |
Sr. |
DL |
3.43 |
Economics |
| Grif Wurtz (2) |
St. Thomas |
Sr. |
DB |
3.82 |
Economics/Business |
SPECIAL TEAMS
|
| Shane Dunning (1) |
Drake |
Gr. |
K/P |
4.00 |
Business Administration |
| Brady McKnight (2) |
Morehead State |
Sr. |
LS |
3.68 |
Agribusiness |
| Adam Zouagui |
Davidson |
Jr. |
K/P |
3.62 |
Economics |
Shading indicates the 2024 PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Symbols in parentheses: (1) was a First Team Academic All-PFL selection in 2023; (2) was a Second Team Academic All-PFL selection in 2023; (3x, 4x) is a three-time or four-time First-Team Academic All-PFL honoree. |
2024 Academic All-Pioneer Football League Second Team
|
| Student-Athlete |
School |
Year |
Pos. |
GPA |
Major |
OFFENSE
|
| Reagan Andrew |
Butler |
So. |
QB |
3.42 |
Economics |
| Luke Bailey |
Drake |
Gr. |
QB |
3.62 |
Finance |
| Cade Beam |
Dayton |
RSr. |
RB |
3.97 |
Finance |
| Davion Cherwin |
Drake |
Sr. |
RB |
3.77 |
Kinesiology |
| Logan Gingg |
San Diego |
Sr. |
RB |
3.43 |
Business Administration |
| Hunter Johnson |
Drake |
Gr. |
WR |
4.00 |
Business Administration |
| Dominic Kibby |
Presbyterian |
Jr. |
WR |
3.40 |
Business Administration |
| Brody Reina |
Davidson |
Jr. |
WR |
3.81 |
Economics |
| Tristan Shannon |
Marist |
Gr. |
RB |
3.31 |
B.A. Games & Emerging Media |
| Donovan Snyder |
Stetson |
Gr. |
RB |
4.00 |
MBA |
| Joey Suchy |
Butler |
Sr. |
RB |
3.77 |
Middle & Secondary Education |
| Sam Valor |
Davidson |
Sr. |
OL |
3.36 |
Economics |
DEFENSE
|
| Nick Bafia |
Butler |
Sr. |
DB |
3.63 |
Organizational Communication & Leadership |
| Caleb Bowling |
Drake |
Sr. |
DB |
3.47 |
Health Sciences, Clinical & Medical |
| Liam “Lumpy” DeWeese |
Stetson |
So. |
DB |
3.76 |
Business Administration |
| CJ Grisar |
Drake |
Sr. |
DB |
3.99 |
Finance & Business Administration |
| Alex Herriott |
Presbyterian |
Sr. |
LB |
3.34 |
Business Administration |
| Nate Hess |
Dayton |
RJr. |
DL |
3.85 |
Pre-Dentistry |
| Giovanni Iovino |
San Diego |
Sr. |
LB |
3.42 |
Real Estate |
| Jihad McCall |
Morehead State |
RJr. |
DB |
3.90 |
Sport Management |
| TJ Magee |
Davidson |
Jr. |
DB |
3.48 |
Communications |
| Andrew Martin |
Stetson |
So. |
LB |
3.90 |
Environmental Science |
| Ryan Sever |
St. Thomas |
Jr. |
LB |
3.55 |
Business Administration |
SPECIAL TEAMS
|
| Ezra King |
Presbyterian |
Sr. |
P |
3.68 |
Business Administration |
| Aidan Lehman |
San Diego |
Sr. |
K |
3.34 |
Engineering |
| Brett Welsing |
Drake |
Jr. |
LS |
3.88 |
Finance |
| Note: 12 student-athletes were named to second team offense due to a tie-in voting. |