With the calendar having turned to August, the beginning of preparations for the 2022 college football season is just around the corner.
 
Stetson coach Brian Young has a veteran team returning for his second season with a solid mix of newcomers and a group of new assistant coaches. Those coaches will be able to build around the five players selected for the 2022 preseason All-PFL team.
 
The preseason All-PFL squad is created by using returning players from the 2021 post-season All-PFL squads. Players who were second team or honorable mention are moved up to fill positions vacated by graduated players.
 
Only perennial league favorite San Diego, which was picked to finish second behind defending PFL champion Davidson, placed more players on the preseason All-PFL team that did Stetson. The Toreros had six players on the preseason team with Stetson and Dayton tied for second with five players each.
 
Davidson, which was picked to win the league title again this fall after winning the spring 2021 and fall 2021 championships, had four players on the preseason team. Valparaiso and Morehead State followed with three players each while Marist had two players selected and Drake had one.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Stetson was represented by graduate quarterback Alex Piccirilli, redshirt sophomore tight end Dominic Carlucci and sophomore receiver Nazeviah Burris. Defensively, the Hatters had graduate defensive end Fermon Reid and redshirt senior linebacker Majeste' Hansberry named to the preseason squad.
 
Piccirilli was an honorable mention member of the fall 2021 All-PFL team after throwing for 796 yards and four touchdowns in six starts while also rushing for 132 yards and five scores. Carlucci, who was also an honorable mention pick last fall, started five games and had 15 receptions for 112 yards.
 
Burris earned second team All-PFL honors in his first season, starting seven of the eight games he played while recording 28 receptions for 364 yards and four scores.
 
Reid is one of four returning first team All-PFL picks on the defensive side of the ball. The four-year veteran had 36 total tackles last year, with nine tackles for loss and six sacks to go with seven quarterback hurries. He enters his final season with 31 career tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks.
 
Hansberry was an honorable mention selection to the All-PFL team last fall after leading Stetson with 82 total tackles, including 10.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks.
 
The Hatters, who were picked to finish ninth in the 11-team PFL in voting by the league's coaches, will officially begin preparations for the 2022 season on Thursday when the squad reports for the start of training camp. The team will hold its first of 24 scheduled practices on Friday night on the Wilson Family Practice Fields at the ATC from 7:30 until 9:30 p.m.
 
The 2022 season is scheduled to get started on Saturday, Sept. 3, when Stetson hosts Concordia College from Michigan at Spec Martin Stadium. Season and single game tickets are available for all seven Hatters' home games this fall by contacting the Athletics Ticket office at 386-378-HATS (4287) or by emailing HatterTickets@stetson.edu. Information on tickets is available online at https://GoHatters.com/tix.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS. Get in on the conversation on social media by following Stetson Athletics on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For video content, visit our YouTube channels: Stetson Hatters, Stetson Athletics and, for live events, Hatter Vision.