
SAINT LOUIS, Mo.– Fifty-nine student athletes have been named to the 25th All-Pioneer Football League teams, Tuesday. All selections were made by the league’s coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes. The Toreros had a total of nineteen players selected with a league-best ten players earning first team honors, along with three second team picks and seven honorable mention honorees.
San Diego senior defensive lineman Jonathan Petersen (Poway, Calif.), who was the league’s unanimous selection as Defensive Player of the Year, was a unanimous pick for First-Team All-PFL. It is the third consecutive year the Torero’s defensive leader has earned First-Team All-PFL honors.
Petersen was joined as a unanimous First-Team All-PFL honoree by Dayton punter Sean Smith and Butler wide receiver Pace Temple. It is the second consecutive season three student-athletes were unanimous First-Team choices by the league’s coaches.
In addition to Petersen, Marist wide receiver Juston Christian, Dayton defensive back and return specialist Christian Searles and Dayton’s Smith also were named First-Team All-PFL for a third time in their career. Searles earned First Team All-PFL honors at two different positions in the same season for the second time in his career and has earned five first-team citations in his career.
Three additional 2017 honorees received their second first-team award, each from San Diego: junior quarterback Anthony Lawrence (La Mesa, Calif.), senior offensive tackle Miles McArdle (Napa, Calif.) and junior offensive tackle Daniel Cooney (Western Springs, Ill.). Additional first team offensive picks for USD included senior wide receiver Justin Priest (El Dorado Hills, Calif.), senior tight end Ross Dwelley (El Dorado Hills, Calif.), sophomore fullback Zach Nelson (Danville, Calif.) and senior offensive center Joe Hurney (Charlotte, NC). Joining Petersen on the first team defense were senior nickel back Max Michaels (Poway, Calif.) and senior safety Colton Giorgi (El Dorado Hills, Calif.).
A testament to the league’s burgeoning underclassmen group, fifteen of the first and second-team All-PFL selections were freshmen or sophomores in 2017. That total includes a quartet of freshmen named All-PFL: first-team selection Davidson freshman running back Wesley Dugger as well as second team honorees Campbell quarterback Daniel Smith, San Diego freshman running back Emilio Martinez (Salinas, Calif.), Dayton tight end Adam Trautman and Stetson defensive back JJ Henderson.
Joining Martinez on the second team was senior safety Ray Clark (Brentwood, Calif.) and senior punter Jack Flatau (Oceanside, Calif.).
In addition to the 59 student-athletes recognized on the league’s first and second teams, 74 student-athletes received honorable mention recognition. San Diego selections for honorable mention included Martinez (return specialist), sophomore wide receiver Michael Bandy (La Mirada, Calif.), junior LB Kim Mahoney (San Diego, Calif.), senior CB Kishan Patel (Des Plaines, Ill.), junior offensive guard Trevor Provencio (Pasadena, Calif.), junior defensive tackle Connor Spencer (Boulder, Colo.) and junior LB Marcus Vaivao (Gilbert, Ariz.).
The Academic All-PFL team, highlighted by the league’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year, will be released Wednesday, concluding the league’s awards week.
San Diego (10-2) continues their playoff run this coming Saturday when they travel to Fargo, North Dakota to take on the No. 2 seed North Dakota State Bison (10-1) at the Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome (18,700). Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m. (Pacific) and will be streamed on ESPN3. The game will also air on ESPN 1700 AM with Jack Cronin providing play-by-play for the Toreros.
|
![]() |
-
VIDEO
Baseball: Day in the Life with Jay Schuyler
The real-life baseball experienceGolf: WCC's
Inside look at WCC competitionMen's Tennis: Sweep
San Diego defeat Pepperdine 4-0Softball: The Win
Toreros defeat Saint Mary's in weekend seriesMen's Basketball: Tuber
Coach Scholl introduces "Tuber" - the on campus Torero UberMen's Basketball: Barista Scholl
Coach Scholl gets students ready for class by helping out at Aromas CafeFootball: Pro Day
Toreros submit their resumes to the NFL scoutsMen's Basketball: Portland State Win
Toreros move on to next round in CITFootball 2018: Spring Game
Toreros play spring football game for family and friendsBaseball: Toreros vs. Aztecs
USD take on cross-town rival SDSUMen's Basketball: Post Season Run
USD vs. Hartford highlightsWomen's Basketball: WCC Championship Game
Toreros end the 2018 season against Gonzaga in the WCC finals.Women's Basketball: WCC Semifinals
Women's win send them to the championship gameMen's Basketball: WCC Quarterfinals
Toreros close out 2018 season against BYUMen's Basketball: "Off Day"
Toreros prepare for the WCC quarterfinals against BYUWomen's Basketball: WCC Quarterfinal Highlights
USD defeats BYU in quarterfinal of WCC TournamentWomen's Basketball: Day in the Life with Myah Pace
Freshman guard knows how to prep for a winWomen's Basketball: Vegas Bound
Toreros travel to Vegas for the WCC TournamentBaseball: Defeating No. 4 Arkansas
Toreros edge out top five teamMen's Basketball: Rock the House
Toreros played No. 6 Gonzaga in a fight to the last minuteMen's Basketball: Day in the Life
Guard Olin Carter III knows the games starts long before tip-offWinter Saturday
Rowing, tennis, basketball and baseball, a winning day in the booksBaseball: For the Love of the Game
Baseball celebrates 60 yearsWomen's Basketball: Women in Sports Day
Julie Foudy spoke to student-athletes and guests for National Women in Sports DayMen's Basketball: At LMU
Men's basketball on the roadWomen's Rowing: Day in the Life
Senior Lizzie Bader shows how three-a-day practices are doneMen's Basketball: Youth Basketball Clinic
Toreros lead clinic in local communityMen's Rowing: Winter Camp 2018
There are plenty perks to being the early bird60 Years of USD Baseball
Milestones on the road to OmahaUSD Honors Local Military Members
Toreros showed their support and hosted local military members at the men's basketball gameUSD Athletes Sing "Santa's Coming to Town"
Toreros show their talent out of uniformBasketball: City Championship
Toreros play SDSU Thursday night at 8Football: Week Fourteen
Football preps for second round of playoffs at NDSUFootball: NAU From the Sidelines
Toreros win in first round of playoffs at NAUFootball: Week Thirteen
Football travels to NAU for the first round of the FCS PlayoffsTorero Tuesday
A day to give to Torero AthleticsFootball: Week Twelve
Toreros gear up for last game of conference playFootball: Week Eleven
Toreros prep for game dayTorero Timeout with Summer Mason
USD junior women's soccer player takes a timeout during a study breakOn Saturday We Dominate
Big wins for both USD Football and USD Volleyball Saturday afternoonTorero Timeout with Henry Lander
Men's soccer sophomore Henry Lander takes a Timeout between classesFootball: Week Ten
Toreros gear up for home game against DrakeHalloween Hoopla
Men's and women's basketball teamed up to host a Halloween eventFootball: Week Nine
Big day in the weight room for the TorerosSeamus McFadden's Legacy
39 years in review by former players and coachesSeamus Night
Alumni, staff and the San Diego community gathered to celebrate Men's Soccer Head Coach Seamus McFaddenSixth Man Night: The Event
Recap video of the October 12 fundraiser eventWomen's Basketball: WCC Hoops Tip-Off
Coach Fisher and Maya Hood attend media day in Las VegasMen's Basketball: New Heights
Men's basketball celebrates the third era of the programHomecoming
Alumni and family gathered together for an eventful Homecoming weekendTorero Timeout with Kristen Gengenbacher
Take a Timeout with the senior setter at her house in South Mission BeachFootball: Week Seven
Football preps for this Saturday's Homecoming gameTorero Timeout with Jonathan Petersen
USD Football's Petersen strolls through Belmont Park during his bye weekUSD Basketball: Practice No. 1
Check out what practice looks like for the Torero ballersFootball: Week Five
Toreros prep for big game against DaytonFootball: FaceTime with Lion's Jamal Agnew
USD Head Coach Dale Lindsey congratulates Torero alum Agnew on his first NFL touchdownFootball: Brian Fogarty PFL Classic
From tailgates to touchdowns, we got it allFootball: Week Four
Hard work follows these Toreros on and off the fieldCross Country: USD Invite
Missed Saturday's race? Don't stress, we have it right hereFootball: Week Three
Sights and sounds of USD Football at workUSD Invite: Take a Lap
Men's and women's cross country host the USD Invite: the only home race for the TorerosFootball: Week Two
Football hard at work for their first away game at UC DavisThree Games - One Day
Ole Weekend was one to remember for USD AthleticsFootball: Week One
Toreros preps for their home opener against Western New Mexico2017 Football Season Preview
Head Coach Dale Lindsey and Senior Ray Clark discuss upcoming seasonUSD Athletics Highlight Video 2016-17
Don't miss the best highlights from this past year in USD Athletics
- SCHEDULES