NEWS

 

DAVIDSON, N.C. – Coming off its third straight NCAA FCS Playoff appearance, Davidson will open its 2023 fall camp this weekend.

Picked to finish second in the Pioneer Football League preseason poll, the Wildcats will kickoff their 11-game regular season slate Saturday, Sept. 2 at VMI.

Entering his sixth season at the helm, head coach Scott Abell has guided the Wildcats to a 34-19 overall record and 28-13 conference mark, while capturing two PFL regular season crowns.

Just one of four teams to make the last three FCS Playoffs, Davidson finished the 2022 season 8-4 overall (6-2 PFL), marking its fifth straight winning season.

A year ago, the Wildcats were also just one of four FCS teams to finish in the top 20 nationally in both total offense and defense.

Preseason All-Conference
Earlier this week, Gilbert Deglau (Sr. / OL), Beck Kipperman (Sr. / OL) and Jonathan Hammond (Sr. / DL) were voted preseason all-conference.

Deglau and Kipperman started every game in 2022, anchoring an offensive line that helped the Wildcats to the nation’s top rushing attack for the third consecutive season and fourth time in Abell’s five-year tenure.

Named PFL Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2020-21 and First Team all-conference as a sophomore, Hammond finished last season with 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, moving into seventh (32.5) and fifth (19.0) in school history, respectively. In the Wildcats’ 48-14 win at Drake, Hammond tied a single-game school record with five tackles for a loss and picked up three sacks, earning PFL Defensive Player of the Week.

All three Wildcats were Second Team all-conference selections a year ago.

Coaching Staff Updates
In the offseason, Coach Abell added both some new and familiar faces to his staff. Along with Alex Shields being promoted to Director of Football Operations, former Wildcats Coy Williams (Offensive Assistant) and Jaden Pask (Coordinator of Football Development) came on board. In addition, former University of Richmond standout Brian Brown was named the new defensive assistant / secondaries coach.

McDaniel Named Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee
Earlier this summer, Malik McDaniel was nominated for the 2023 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® as announced by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Recommended by their head coaches, the nominees are 136 student-athletes with exemplary community service, academic dedication and impact on and off the field.

Incoming Class
Abell and his staff once again put together an accomplished recruiting class. The 2027 signing class features 31 scholar-athletes.