The Valparaiso University football program featured seven representatives as Phil Steele released the publication’s All-Pioneer Football League teams this week.

A quartet of Beacons earned Phil Steele All-PFL First Team honors – redshirt senior wide receiver Solomon Davis (Brighton, Tenn. / Brighton), redshirt junior defensive lineman Sam Hafner (Green Bay, Wis. / De Pere), sixth-year senior punter Evan Matthes (Reston, Va. / South Lakes [West Virginia]) and redshirt senior return specialist Jashon Butler (Lynwood, Wash. / Meadowdale [Arizona]).

In addition, redshirt senior linebacker Evan Annis (Hilliard, Ohio / Hilliard Davidson) was named to the Phil Steele All-PFL Second Team, and senior defensive lineman Kurt Kessen (Shelby Township, Mich. / Utica) and redshirt senior defensive back Tyler Geiman (Zion, Ill. / Zion-Benton Township [Dubuque]) both achieved Phil Steele All-PFL Third Team nods.

Hafner, also named to the All-PFL First Team and Academic All-PFL First Team this season, led the PFL and finished second nationally in tackles by a defensive lineman with 63 (5.73 per game). The team’s Defensive Player of the Year, Hafner ranked fifth in the PFL in sacks with five and was one of 10 players in the league with multiple fumble recoveries with two. He notched a team-high 10.0 tackles for loss totaling 43 yards. Last season, he earned Academic All-PFL First Team, All-PFL Second Team and College Sports Communicators Academic All-District.

Matthes, named to the All-PFL First Team and Academic All-PFL First Team this season as well, led the PFL and ranked 13^th nationally in punting average at 43.2. He went 2-for-2 passing this season, twice successfully converting first downs on fake punts. The standout punter pinned 20 of his 50 boots inside the 20 with a long of 70. He had 10 punts that covered 50+ yards. The team’s Special Teams Player of the Year, Matthes was named PFL Special Teams Player of the Week on Nov. 5 after playing a crucial role in the field-position battle in the Nov. 4 win over Dayton. He was a member of the 2023 Preseason FCS Punter of the Year Watch List, earned a spot on the 2022 All-PFL Second Team and was named the team’s Special Teams Player of the Year last season.

Davis led the PFL in total offensive average per play at 3.18, ranked fourth in receptions per game at 4.55, third in receiving touchdowns with six, sixth in receiving yards per game at 60.09, fifth in total receptions with 50 and sixth in total receiving yards with 661. Davis earned All-PFL First Team status for the second straight season and garnered the team’s Four-Year Man Award in 2022.

Butler averaged 30.75 yards per kick return, leading the league among those with more than one return. The All-PFL Second Team honoree totaled 615 yards on his 20 returns, ranking second in the league in total kickoff return yards and was narrowly behind the leader despite 13 fewer returns. Butler totaled a season-high 121 kick return yards on Sept. 30 vs. Southwest Minnesota State. His season long was 68 yards on Oct. 21 at Davidson.

Annis earned Academic All-PFL First Team status for the third time in his career and became the first Valpo player to be named PFL Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He returned to action this season after missing all of the 2022 campaign with a knee injury. A team captain, Annis was recently named to the 2023 All-PFL Second Team after previously achieving Spring 2021 All-PFL Second Team, Fall 2021 All-PFL Honorable Mention, Spring 2021 Team Koenig Award (Outstanding Sportsmanship & Character) and the 2022 Team Most Inspirational Player Award. At the team’s postseason awards banquet this season, the Outstanding Four-Year Man award was bestowed upon Annis, who led the team with 79 tackles including 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to go along with three pass breakups and four QB hurries.

Kessen, who received the team’s Scholar-Athlete Award for the second straight season and was named First Team Academic All-PFL for the third straight year, corralled 29 tackles including 2.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks this season. He started all 11 games on Valpo’s defensive line and had a season-high six tackles on Sept. 23 vs. Marist.

Geiman, who earned All-PFL Honorable Mention, was among the national leaders in pass breakups with 17. He earned the team’s Outstanding Hitter Award and the program’s postseason honors banquet.