HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University linebacker Jake Dalmado and punt returner Dkhai Joseph represented the Lion football team on the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team, which was announced Monday.  
 
Dalmado, a newcomer from Mandeville, La., was a first team selection, while Joseph, who hails from Reserve, La., was named as a third team choice. Southeastern has produced at least one All-American every season since 2012.
 
Dalmado and Joseph were two of nine Southland Conference representatives on the preseason All-America list. Dalmado and Joseph were joined by the SFA quartet of offensive lineman Erick Gray, punt returner Bugs Mortimer, linebacker Eli Ennis and linebacker Malachi Williams, as well as Lamar defensive lineman Andrew Huff, UIW wide receiver Roy Alexander and McNeese long snapper Pierson Parent. The full team is available at https://theanalyst.com/articles/fcs-preseason-all-america-team-2026.
 
Dalmado joined Southeastern for spring practice, transferring in from league rival Nicholls. He was a two-time All-Southland Conference performer for the Colonels, recording 142 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks over the past two seasons.
 
Joseph established himself as one of the nation's most dynamic punt returners last fall. He finished 13^th nationally with 12.8 yards per punt return and second in FCS with two punt return touchdowns in 2025. Joseph brought a punt back 63 yards for a score in a 59-14 win over East Texas A&M and also housed one from 70 yards in a 56-3 victory over Mississippi Valley State.
 
Head coach Frank Scelfo, quarterback Kyle Lowe and defensive lineman Peyton Anderson will represent the Lions at the Southland Conference Football Opening Drive Media Day Tuesday, July 21 in Houston, Texas. The event will air on ESPN+ starting at 9 a.m. with Southeastern's segment scheduled for 10:30 a.m.
 
Southeastern will open the 2026 season Aug. 27, hosting HCU in Strawberry Stadium. The Lions will report to campus for fall camp July 27 with the first practice set for July 28.
 
2026 Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team
 
First Team
Offense
QB | Beau Brungard, Youngstown State
RB | Eli Gillman, Montana
RB | Adam Jones, Montana State
RB | Luke Yoder, Lehigh
WR | Marquis Buchanan, Rhode Island
WR | Samuel Gbatu Jr., UC Davis
TE | Ryder Kurtz, Cornell
OL | Quinten Christensen, South Dakota State
OL | Titan Fleischmann, Montana State
OL | Erik Gray, SFA
OL | Stryker Rashid, Idaho State
OL | Joshua Sales Jr., Austin Peay
 
Defense
DL | Andrew Huff, Lamar
DL | Lance Rucker, North Dakota
DL | Joshua Stoneking, Furman
DL | Michael Wells, Youngstown State
LB | Jake Dalmado, Southeastern
LB | Mike D'Amato, Cal Poly
LB | Tye Niekamp, Illinois State
LB | Peyton Wing, Montana
DB | Rex Connors, UC Davis
DB | Caden Dowler, Montana
DB | Abu Kamara, Yale
DB | Christopher Jean, Central Connecticut State
 
Special Teams
PK | Myles Sansted, Montana State
P | Ben Shrewsbury, VMI
LS | Hayden King, UT Martin
KR | Ja'briel Mace, Villanova
PR | Bugs Mortimer, SFA
AP | Taco Dowler, Montana State
 
Second Team
Offense
QB | Keali'l Ah Yat, Montana
QB | Justin Lamson, Montana State
RB | Victor Dawson, Illinois State
RB | Charles Pierre Jr., South Dakota
WR | Sam Milligan, Bucknell
WR | Lofton O'Groske, South Dakota State
WR | Eric Weatherly, Tennessee Tech
TE | Winston Williams, UC Davis
OL | Liam Becher, North Dakota
OL | Desmeal Leigh, Youngstown State
OL | Aidan Moe, Tarleton State
OL | Aidan Palmer, Lehigh
OL | Luke Roaten, Abilene Christian
 
Defense
DL | Chris Benton, The Citadel
DL | Camden Byrd, Richmond
DL | Dawson Ripperda, South Dakota State
DL | Kaden Vig, North Dakota
LB | Brody Carroll, Elon
LB | Rohan Davy, Rhode Island
LB | Eli Ennis, SFA
LB | Carter Glassmyer, Richmond
LB | Cullen McShane, South Dakota State
DB | Damien Henderson, Harvard
DB | Jaylon Jenkins, Eastern Washington
DB | Jaedon Jones, Monmouth
DB | Ken Moore Jr., Western Carolina
DB | Dylan Rowsey, Murray State
 
Special Teams
PK | Luke Barnes, Elon
P | Max Pelham, South Dakota State
LS | Maddox Boughton, Northern Colorado
KR | DeAndre Buchannon, Tarleton State
PR | Elijah Kennedy, North Carolina A&T
AP | Brayden Smith, Mercer
 
Third Team
Offense
QB | Chris Parson, Austin Peay
QB | DJ Williams, Southern Illinois
RB | Dason Brooks, Idaho State
RB | MJ Flowers, Tennessee Tech
WR | Roy Alexander, UIW
WR | Chedon James, Idaho State
WR | Samuel Musungu, Cornell
TE | Greyton Gannon, South Dakota State
TE | Seamus Gilmartin, Harvard
OL | Tre Alexander, Rhode Island
OL | Quaveon Davis, Jackson State
OL | Anthony Iliano, Maine
OL | Cam Nolan, Holy Cross
OL | Thomas O'Brien, Harvard
OL | Landon Woodard, Illinois State
 
Defense
DL | McCoy Casey, Southeast Missouri
DL | Case Mankins, Rhode Island
DL | Ike Odimegwu, Brown
DL | Isaiah Perez, Eastern Washington
LB | Anthony Ferrell, Stony Brook
LB | Jordan Franklin, South Carolina State
LB | Gabriel Hardman, South Dakota
LB | Sean Line, Harvard
LB | Kenny Olson, Cal Poly
LB | Cole Taylor, Montana State
LB | Malachi Williams, SFA
LB | Steve Zayachkowsky, Charleston Southern
DB | La'Shavion Brown, Illinois State
DB | Tayden Gray, Montana State
DB | Nick Peltekian, Lehigh
DB | Trey Watkins, LIU
 
Special Teams
PK | Andrew Lastovka, Youngstown State
P | Ryan Marks, Utah Tech
LS | Pierson Parent, McNeese
KR | Keylijah Williams, Bryant
PR | Dkhai Joseph, Southeastern
AP | Gavin Lochow, Dayton
 
TICKETS
For ticket information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or visit www.LionSports.net. Southeastern will continue offering mobile ticketing as the primary source for securing tickets. All tickets will be available via e-mail or text message in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Southeastern Football, follow @LionUpFootball and @Coach_Scelfo on X, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and follow @lionupfootball on Instagram.
 
TOUCHDOWN CLUB/S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the football program are encouraged to join the Touchdown Club. Lion football alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Touchdown Club and S Club (football) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern football program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics observes a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/clear.