Five Football Players Named in PFL All-Academic Teams

The postseason awards rollout for the Pioneer Football League concluded on Wednesday afternoon with the announcement that five Presbyterian College football players were selected for the conference’s All-Academic squads.

2025 PFL Offensive Player of the Year Collin Hurst was among three All-Academic first-team picks, along with tight end Nathan Levicki and defensive lineman Carter Szydlowski.

Defensive back Zeb Stroup and kicker Peter Lipscombe would also grab a spot on the All-Academic second team. Each of the five honorees minus Hurst just completed their senior year at PC.

Presby’s five All-Academic selections are their most since converting to the Pioneer League in 2020. This comes just 24 hours after a school-record 11 players were named either All-Conference first or second team.

Earlier this week, Hurst became the first player since the creation of the PFL in 1991 to be voted the conference’s Offensive Freshman of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in back-to-back campaigns. He is also a top-30 finalist for the Walter Payton Award, affectionately described as the Heisman of FCS.

The Blue Hose climbed to national prominence in 2025, achieving the program’s third all-time 10-win season and reaching as high as #16 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.

In his fourth year leading PC, Steve Englehart was declared the PFL Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year. He is a top-ten finalist for the FCS Eddie Robinson Award presented by Stats Perform.

ALL-ACADEMIC CRITERIA

– In order to be considered for the PFL All-Academic team, one must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 while also participating in a minimum of 50 percent of your team’s games.

– Players must be deemed a “starter” or a “key reserve” and must have completed at least one full semester at their current institution. Thus, true freshmen are disqualified from being nominated.

– Pioneer Football League athletic directors established the Academic All-PFL teams in 1993 to recognize the league’s outstanding student-athletes.

– The recipients are voted on by the 11 sports information directors around the conference, with 51 individuals making the cut.

– Since joining the PFL five years ago, Presbyterian has now had 18 different student-athletes chosen for the All-Academic list.

COLLIN HURST | R-So. | Quarterback | Davie, Fla.

PFL All-Academic First Team

3.49 | English – Communications

– Hurst has needed only two years to become PC’s D-I-era leader in passing yards, completing 197-of-289 attempts (68 percent) this season and throwing 26 touchdowns (#6 in FCS).

– With over 2,600 passing yards to his credit and snatching the PFL Offensive Player of the Year award, Hurst calculated the 7^th-best QB efficiency rating in the nation (168.3).

– He has an impressive 16-5 overall record as Presby’s starting quarterback, throwing at least one touchdown pass in 13 straight contests dating back to last year.

NATHAN LEVICKI | Sr. | Tight End | Annapolis, Md.

PFL All-Academic First Team

3.75 | Political Science

– Levicki saved his best season in a Blue Hose uniform for 2025, named All-PFL First Team thanks to 34 catches, 471 yards, and nine total touchdowns.

– He is responsible for PC’s longest passing play of the season: a 75-yard sprint in the 4^th quarter that enabled Presbyterian to win at Butler and begin the year with a 7-0 mark.

– During a 21-point comeback victory at Furman back in September, Levicki grabbed a touchdown reception in overtime and would be the target for the game-winning two-point conversion moments later.

CARTER SZYDLOWSKI | Sr. | Defensive Line | Mount Pleasant, Tenn.

PFL All-Academic First Team

3.32 | History

 

– Szydlowski’s final two seasons in college were exceptional, a two-time All-PFL first-team member after leading the Blue Hose this year with 10 tackles-for-a-loss.

– He is one of just 12 players at the FCS level with two fumble recoveries this year, named the PFL Defensive Player of the Week in last season’s finale versus then-#23 Butler.

– The Tennessee native again had his best effort of the season against the Bulldogs, going for a season-high seven tackles, three TFL’s, and 1.5 sacks.

 

ZEB STROUP | Sr. | Defensive Back | Mount Airy, N.C.

PFL All-Academic Second Team

3.68 | Business Administration

 

– Stroup posted a career-best season in his final hoorah, ranking fifth on PC’s elite defense with 45 total stops. He registered four pass breakups and three interceptions, both of which were second on the club.

– Two of his picks occurred against Pioneer League opponents (Dayton and St. Thomas), and he also recorded a season-high nine tackles in the triumph over Furman.

– Stroup started all but one game for a Blue Hose defense that ranked third in FCS by allowing a third-down conversion only 30 percent of the time. PC gave up the fourth-fewest total yards per game in the country and collected the seventh-most turnovers.

 

PETER LIPSCOMBE | Sr. | Kicker | Catonsville, Md.

PFL All-Academic Second Team

3.80 | Business Administration

 

– Lipscombe was an understated contributor for the Blue Hose after being voted the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week versus Dayton last year, the same day where he connected on four field goals in a 28-7 win.

– The Maryland native made his only two FG attempts as a senior during a 76-3 annihilation of Bluefield and later became the starting holder for the back-half of the season.

– With Lipscombe holding, Presbyterian hit six of their last seven field goal tries including two from over 40 yards away.

 

The full list of All-PFL Academic honorees can be viewed below:

2025 PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Mason Sheron (RB, Davidson)

2025 PFL All-Academic First Team | Offense

Will Aaronson (OL, Marist)

Archie Cox (WR, Butler)

Carter Cravens (QB, Morehead State)

Collin Hurst (QB, Presbyterian)

Chris Leonardo (OL, Marist)

Nathan Levicki (TE, Presbyterian)

Gavin Lochow (WR, Dayton)

Ethan Loss (WR, Butler)

Andy Peters (QB, St. Thomas)

Mason Sheron (RB, Davidson)

Isaac Stopke (RB, Morehead State)

 

2025 PFL All-Academic First Team | Defense

Jacob Auen (DL, Drake)

Luke Bauer (LB, Morehead State)

Dylan Cook (DB, Morehead State)

Cam Cope (DB, Dayton)

Vincent Firenze (DB, Dayton)

J.R. Flood (LB, Drake)

Andrew Martin (LB, Stetson)

Nate Robinson, Jr. (DB, Marist)

Ryan Sever (LB, St. Thomas)

Carter Szydlowski (DL, Presbyterian)

De’Andre Wilborn (DL, Valparaiso)

 

2025 PFL All-Academic First Team | Special Teams

Elliot Huether (P/K, St. Thomas)

Ryan Ricketti (RS, Valparaiso)

Brett Welsing (LS, Drake)

 

2025 PFL All-Academic Second Team | Offense

Coulter Cleland (QB, Davidson)

Brandon Furey (OL, Marist)

Mason Hackett (RB, Dayton)

Ryan Iiams (OL, Dayton)

Rowan Keefe (QB, Valparaiso)

Sonny Mannino (QB, Marist)

Lance Martinez (WR, Marist)

Jack Melore (WR, Marist)

James Morrison (OL, St. Thomas)

Niko Paic (OL, Valparaiso)

Patrick Wagner (TE, St. Thomas)

 

2025 PFL All-Academic Second Team | Defense

Garrett Carter (LB, Marist)

Nate Fischer (LB, San Diego)

Mikah Kent (DE, Davidson)

Andrew Lieske (DB, Butler)

Ruben Lopez (DB, San Diego)

Ryan Meloche (DB, San Diego)

Onuoha Onye (DB, Butler)

Mateo Reyes (DB, Morehead State)

Sam Schmiesing (LB, Dayton)

Zeb Stroup (DB, Presbyterian)

Benjamin Wilson (DB, Drake)

 

2025 PFL All-Academic Second Team | Special Teams

Peter Lipscombe (PK, Presbyterian)

Thomas Schwartz V (PK, Morehead State)

David Maurer (PK, Dayton)

Ethan Yuska (P, Marist)