LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University football's Donnell Brown, Seth Osborne and Alex Schmoke were selected to the All-NEC Preseason Team, the conference announced Wednesday during its annual media day. The Red Flash were also selected third in the NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Schmoke, a redshirt sophomore, was a HERO Sports Freshman All-America and All-NEC First Team selection last season. His 88.2 field goal percentage ranked seventh in the FCS and his 15 total field goals made was third in single-season program history. Schmoke had a conference-high 70 points scored and a season-long field goal of 47 yards. On Nov. 13, he tied a single-game program record with five converted field goals.
 
Brown, a redshirt sophomore, was an All-NEC Second Team selection in 2021 after he ranked tied for second in the conference with four solo sacks and seventh with five total. He had a team-leading 8.5 tackles for loss, six quarterback hurries, was fifth with 46 total tackles and added one forced fumble.
 
Osborne, a redshirt junior, was an All-NEC Second Team selection in 2021. He led an offensive line that allowed a conference third-fewest 23 sacks last season. He also guided two 100-plus rushing games to two separate running backs.
 
The third-place ranking in the Preseason Coaches' Poll is Saint Francis' highest since being selected second in 2017.
 
Reigning NEC Champion Sacred Heart was selected first with five first-place votes, followed by Duquesne who earned three first-place votes. Central Connecticut, Merrimack, LIU, Wagner and Stonehill followed Saint Francis in the poll in that order.
 
The Red Flash enter 2022 after they finished 5-6 overall and 4-3 in the conference during the 2021 season. Saint Francis lost its three conference games by a combined five points – 18-17 against Bryant, 14-13 against Sacred Heart and 24-21 against Central Connecticut.
 
Last season's 4-3 conference record was the third time Saint Francis was above .500 in conference play since its inaugural season in 1996. The Red Flash had four seasons at .500 and had a program-best 5-1 record in their 2016 NEC title-winning season.
 
Saint Francis is set to open the 2022 campaign on the road Sept. 1 against Akron at 6 p.m.