SAINT LOUIS, Mo. – Stetson safety Donald Payne, Dayton running back Connor Kacsor, Davidson running back Jeffrey Keil, Drake defensive lineman Mack Marrin and San Diego head coach Dale Lindsey were the recipients of the Pioneer Football League’s top honors in a vote of the league’s coaches.

In addition to these awards, the league will present its first-ever Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Wednesday, coinciding with the announcement of the 2014 Academic All-PFL teams. The PFL will announce its 22nd All-PFL squads, Tuesday.

Payne, a sophomore from Fayetteville, Georgia, earned the league’s Defensive Player of the Year one year after winning the league’s Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honor – the first to accomplish that feat since the freshman honors were created in 2006. He recorded a PFL record and FCS best 185 tackles (15.4 per game) during a regular-season campaign that saw him also set the PFL single-game tackle mark (30 versus Campbell, Nov. 1) and post two additional 20-tackle outings. A finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, Payne was not a one-dimensional player, recording 19.0 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four interceptions, eight pass breakups, six QB hurries, two fumbles forced and two fumbles recovered during the campaign.

2014 PFL AWARDS

Offensive Player of the Year: Connor Kacsor, Dayton

Defensive Player of the Year: Donald Payne, Stetson

Freshman Offensive Player of the Year: Jeffrey Keil, Davidson

Freshman Defensive Player of the Year: Mack Marrin, Drake

Coach of the Year: Dale Lindsey, San Diego

Scholar-Athlete of the Year: To be announced Wednesday

GOHATTERS.COM