The Pioneer Football League wrapped up three days on post-season awards announcements for the 2019 season on Wednesday with the release of the 2019 Academic All-Conference squads.
 
The Hatters were well represented with seven players selected to one of the two teams.
 
The group of Stetson players was led by redshirt junior kicker Jonny Messina, who was one of just two players named to the 2019 first team who was a three-time All-Academic team selection. The other three-time selection was Drake senior offensive lineman Jacob Bacon, who was selected as the PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
Bacon was a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2018
 
Messina will receive his degree in Health Science in May and carries a 3.59 cumulative GPA.
 
Also selected to the first team was Hatters graduate quarterback Gaven DeFilippo, who is working toward his MBA after graduating with a double major in Professional Sales and Sport Business.
 
Stetson have five players named to the Academic All-PFL second team. That group included junior offensive lineman Bradley Alexander (double major in History and Microbiology), redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Jeffrey Lu (double major in Microbiology and Applied Mathematics), redshirt sophomore defensive end Jason Winston (Political Science), sophomore long snapper Colin Wray (Sport Business) and sophomore special teams specialist Connor Wilson (Aquatic Biology).
 
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 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, reached his second season academically and played at least one full season at his current institution.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.