HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University linebacker Jake Dalmado was named to the 2026 FCS Football Central Preseason All-America Team, which was announced Wednesday.
 
A native of Mandeville, La., Dalmado enters his first season in Hammond, America as a first team selection. Earlier this month, he was named to the Stats Perform FCS preseason All-America team and was one of 30 student-athletes selected to the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, presented annually to the best defensive player in FCS.
 
Dalmado, who was named to the Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America Team Monday, joined the Lion roster prior to spring practice after starting his collegiate career at Southland Conference rival Nicholls. Originally a running back for the Colonels, he made the switch to defense in 2024. 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.
 
Dalmado was one of five Southland Conference student-athletes named to the FCS Football Central Preseason All-America team, along with Lamar defensive lineman Andrew Huff, as well as the SFA trio of offensive lineman Erik Gray, punt returner Bugs Mortimer and linebacker Eli Ennis.
 
Southeastern will open the 2026 season Aug. 27, hosting SLC foe HCU in Strawberry Stadium. The Lions will report to campus for fall camp July 27 with the first practice set for July 28.
 
2026 FCS Football Central Preseason All-America Team
 
First Team Offense
QB | Beau Brungard | Youngstown State
QB | Justin Lamson | Montana 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
WR | Taco Dowler | Montana State
TE | Ryder Kurtz | Cornell
OL | Desmeal Leigh | Youngstown State
OL | Erik Gray | SFA
OL | Landon Woodard | Illinois State
OL | Titan Fleischmann | Montana State
OL | Quinten Christensen | South Dakota State
 
First Team Defense
DL | Joshua Stoneking | Furman
DL | Lance Rucker | North Dakota
DL | Michael Wells | Youngstown State
DL | Camden Byrd | Richmond
LB | Jake Dalmado | Southeastern
LB | Tye Niekamp | Illinois State
LB | Peyton Wing | Montana
LB | Porter Connors | UC Davis
LB | Rohan Davy | Rhode Island
DB | Abu Kamara | Yale
DB | Caden Dowler | Montana State
DB | Rex Connors | UC Davis
DB | Damien Henderson | Harvard
DB | Christopher Jean | Central Connecticut State
DB | Ken Moore Jr. | Western Carolina
DB | Dylan Rowsey | Murray State
 
First Team Special Teams
K | Luke Barnes | Elon
P | Ben Shrewsbury | VMI
KR | DeAndre Buchanon | Tarleton State
PR | Bugs Mortimer | SFA
AP | Ja'briel Mace | Villanova
 
Second Team Offense
QB | Keali'l Ah Yat | Montana
QB | Devin Farrell | Rhode Island
QB | Chris Parson | Austin Peay
RB | Charles Pierre Jr. | South Dakota
RB | Victor Dawson | Illinois State
RB | Jordan Fisher | UC Davis
WR | Sam Milligan | Bucknell
WR | BJ Fleming | Tarleton State
WR | Lofton O'Groske | South Dakota State
WR | Brooks Davis | Montana
WR | Chedon James | Idaho State
TE | Winston Williams | UC Davis
OL | Thomas O'Brien | Harvard
OL | Stryker Rashid | Idaho State
OL | Tre Alexander | Rhode Island
OL | Aidan Palmer | Lehigh
OL | Liam Becher | North Dakota
OL | Braden Zimmer | Montana State
OL | Cam Nolan | Holy Cross
AP | MJ Flowers | Tennessee Tech
 
Second Team Defense
DL | Kaden Vig | North Dakota
DL | Zac Crews | Montana State
DL | Dawson Ripperda | South Dakota State
DL | Chris Dixon | South Dakota
DL | Logan Green | South Dakota State
DL | Ike Odimegwu | Brown
LB | Cole Taylor | Montana State
LB | Cullen McShane | South Dakota State
LB | Dexter Niekamp | Illinois State
LB | Jordan Franklin | South Carolina State
LB | Eli Ennis | SFA
LB | Sean Line | Harvard
DB | Tayden Gray | Montana State
DB | Eric Zachery | Prairie View
DB | Jaylon Jenkins | Eastern Washington
DB | Drew Cofield | UC Davis
DB | Dev Holman | Youngstown State
DB | Kam Sallis | Jackson State
DB | Dillon Williams | Abilene Christian
 
Second Team Special Teams
K | Myles Sansted | Montana State
P | Max Pelham | South Dakota State
KR | Nehemiah Hixon | Alabama State
PR | Elijah Kennedy | North Carolina A&T
AP | Brayden Smith | Mercer
AP | TJ Cadden | Bucknell
 
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 /lionupathletics 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.