Six Wildcats Named Academic All-PFL
1/4/2007 2:22:04 PM | Football
Rick Bender
SAINT LOUIS, Mo. - The Pioneer Football League announced its 14th annual Academic All-PFL teams today with 52 student-athletes being named to the two squads. Davidson College had a total of six players selected, led by seniors Kyle Kinsell and Mike Iafrate, and junior Patrick FitzGerald on the first team. Named to the second team were senior Jim Walter and juniors Ryan Alexander and Bud Crawford.
Kinsell, a 6-0, 235-pound defensive lineman from Chapel Hill, N.C., is a biology major with a GPA of 3.83 while minoring in economics. The product of Chapel Hill High ranked fourth among defensive linemen in tackles in the PFL with 36. He also posted four tackles for a loss with a 1.5 sacks to his credit. Three weeks ago, Kinsell was selected to The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team for the University Division, becoming just the second Wildcat ever to earn first-team honors twice, and the first football player to do so. Kinsell, one of eight finalists for a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship from the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association, completed his studies after just three and a half years with the conclusion of final exams last week.
Iafrate, a native of Weston, Fla., is an anthropology major with a 3.19 GPA. The 5-11, 260-pound center was the anchor of the offensive line, helping the Wildcats place among the top 20 I-AA teams in passing offense (261.7, 7th), total offense (383.6, 13th) and scoring offense (29.5, 15th). The product of American Heritage High was also selected for the All-PFL First Team and helped quarterback Ryan Alexander -- who earned second-team honors -- break Davidson single-season records for passing yards and total offense that had stood for 37 years.
One year after ranking among I-AA's top 10 in interceptions per game, FitzGerald got right back to work picking off passes with four in 2006, putting him among the top 20 in the country. The 5-9, 185-pound junior from Pittsburgh, Pa., also broke up seven other passes to rank 22nd nationally in passes defended per game. In addition, FitzGerald contributed 53 tackles, 34 solo, third most on the squad. He also received All-PFL First Team distinction and Academic All-District First Team honors as a history major with a 3.39 GPA.
Walter, a 6-2, 245-pound defensive lineman from Solon, Ohio, is an economics major with a 3.02 GPA. An All-PFL Second Team performer as well, Walter ranked fifth in the league with 5.5 sacks, plus had eight tackles for a loss among his 34 total tackles. He also forced a pair of fumbles during the season.
Alexander ranked among the nation's best quarterbacks. The native of Lynchburg, Va., ranked among the top six in the Football Championship Subdivision in total offense (276.6 yards per game, sixth), completions (21.5 per game, fifth) and passing yards per game (258.1, fifth). Alexander broke 37-year-old school records with 2,581 passing yards and 2,766 total yards, plus threw for at least 200 yards in seven of Davidson's 10 contests. A second-team All-PFL performer, Alexander was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week following the first game when he threw for 404 yards in a one-point loss at VMI. He is an English major with a 3.01 GPA.
This is the second straight year Crawford, from Dunwoody, Ga., has been named to the second team. One of Davidson's terrific linebackers, he led Davidson with 10 tackles for a loss and ranked fourth on the squad with 51 total tackles. A 6-1, 220-pound economics major with a 3.43 GPA, Crawford also posted 3.5 sacks, broke up five passes and ranked 10th nationally with three forced fumbles.
Dayton landed a league-best 14 student-athletes on the two teams, while San Diego added 11 student-athletes. In addition, 17 first-team Academic All-PFL selections also were named to their respective ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District teams, including 11 first-team all-district selections.
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 nominated, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his career. No athlete is eligible until he has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his institution.
Kinsell, a 6-0, 235-pound defensive lineman from Chapel Hill, N.C., is a biology major with a GPA of 3.83 while minoring in economics. The product of Chapel Hill High ranked fourth among defensive linemen in tackles in the PFL with 36. He also posted four tackles for a loss with a 1.5 sacks to his credit. Three weeks ago, Kinsell was selected to The ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team for the University Division, becoming just the second Wildcat ever to earn first-team honors twice, and the first football player to do so. Kinsell, one of eight finalists for a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship from the Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association, completed his studies after just three and a half years with the conclusion of final exams last week.
Iafrate, a native of Weston, Fla., is an anthropology major with a 3.19 GPA. The 5-11, 260-pound center was the anchor of the offensive line, helping the Wildcats place among the top 20 I-AA teams in passing offense (261.7, 7th), total offense (383.6, 13th) and scoring offense (29.5, 15th). The product of American Heritage High was also selected for the All-PFL First Team and helped quarterback Ryan Alexander -- who earned second-team honors -- break Davidson single-season records for passing yards and total offense that had stood for 37 years.
One year after ranking among I-AA's top 10 in interceptions per game, FitzGerald got right back to work picking off passes with four in 2006, putting him among the top 20 in the country. The 5-9, 185-pound junior from Pittsburgh, Pa., also broke up seven other passes to rank 22nd nationally in passes defended per game. In addition, FitzGerald contributed 53 tackles, 34 solo, third most on the squad. He also received All-PFL First Team distinction and Academic All-District First Team honors as a history major with a 3.39 GPA.
Walter, a 6-2, 245-pound defensive lineman from Solon, Ohio, is an economics major with a 3.02 GPA. An All-PFL Second Team performer as well, Walter ranked fifth in the league with 5.5 sacks, plus had eight tackles for a loss among his 34 total tackles. He also forced a pair of fumbles during the season.
Alexander ranked among the nation's best quarterbacks. The native of Lynchburg, Va., ranked among the top six in the Football Championship Subdivision in total offense (276.6 yards per game, sixth), completions (21.5 per game, fifth) and passing yards per game (258.1, fifth). Alexander broke 37-year-old school records with 2,581 passing yards and 2,766 total yards, plus threw for at least 200 yards in seven of Davidson's 10 contests. A second-team All-PFL performer, Alexander was named the league's Offensive Player of the Week following the first game when he threw for 404 yards in a one-point loss at VMI. He is an English major with a 3.01 GPA.
This is the second straight year Crawford, from Dunwoody, Ga., has been named to the second team. One of Davidson's terrific linebackers, he led Davidson with 10 tackles for a loss and ranked fourth on the squad with 51 total tackles. A 6-1, 220-pound economics major with a 3.43 GPA, Crawford also posted 3.5 sacks, broke up five passes and ranked 10th nationally with three forced fumbles.
Dayton landed a league-best 14 student-athletes on the two teams, while San Diego added 11 student-athletes. In addition, 17 first-team Academic All-PFL selections also were named to their respective ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District teams, including 11 first-team all-district selections.
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 nominated, the student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale) for his career. No athlete is eligible until he has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his institution.
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