Two members of the Valparaiso University football program were recognized on Monday as FCS Football Central announced its Freshman All-American Team for the 2025 season.
 
Redshirt freshman linebacker Anthony Feltrinelli (Westfield, Ind. / Westfield) and redshirt freshman redshirt specialist Ryan Ricketti (Rocky River, Ohio / Rocky River) received the high honor.
 
An All-PFL Honorable Mention choice, Feltrinelli finished with 102 tackles on the season, the second-most in the PFL. He had 8.5 tackles for loss as a linebacker, tied for the 13th most overall in the league. Feltrinelli had two fumble recoveries, one of 11 players in the league with multiple. He posted double-figure tackle totals on four occasions including 14 vs. Adrian. Feltrinelli had nine tackles or more in each of his final four games of the season and finished in the top 50 nationally in tackles with 102. 
 


Ricketti earned First Team All-PFL honors as a return specialist last week, and was named to the Academic All-PFL First Team.  Ricketti, who was one of only two freshmen in the league to receive First Team All-PFL honors and the first Valpo rookie to do so since Spring 2021, finished the season with 711 kick return yards on 25 returns, an average of 28.44 yards per return that ranked seventh nationally. He was the only player in the FCS nation with two 100-yard kickoff return touchdowns in 2025. He had 198 kickoff return yards in a single game vs. San Diego, the most in a single game by any FCS player nationally this season.
 
Ricketti ranked fourth in the FCS nation in total kickoff return yards with 711 and seventh nationally in combined kick return yards with 729. He was named the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week on Nov. 8 and was a nominee for national Freshman of the Week and named Honorable Mention STATS Perform FCS Special Teams Player of the Week following Week 3 at Western Illinois, when he had his first of two 100-yard kick return touchdowns. 
 
Offense
QB - Braden Atkinson (Mercer)
QB - Caden Pinnick (UC Davis)
RB - Xai'Shaun Edwards (Houston Christian)
RB - Tre Page III (Tarleton State)
RB - Mitchell Summers (Sacred Heart)
RB - Nick Herman (Drake)
RB - Chase Bingmon (Prairie View A&M)
WR - Tony Diaz (UTRGV)
WR - Brooks Davis (Montana)
WR - Ernest Campbell (Sacramento State)
WR - Evan James (Furman)
WR - Rico Bond (Lindenwood)
WR - Owen Sweeney (VMI)
WR - Rashawn Cunningham (Charleston Southern)
TE - Reis Kessel (North Dakota State)
TE - Jeter Purdy (Northern Arizona)
OL - Shane Willenbring (South Dakota State)
OL - Gavin Marks (Mercer)
OL - Braden Zimmer (Montana State)
OL - Sawyer Prementine (Mercyhurst)
OL - Isaac Cariveau (North Dakota)
OL - Braden Smith (Tarleton State)
OL - Nick Hughes (UTRGV)
OL - Nate Tastad (North Dakota State)
OL - Brady Pickett (The Citadel)
OL - Colin Amick (Montana)
OL - Brian Williams Jr. (Jackson State)
 
Defense
DL - Lamont Lester Jr. (Monmouth)
DL - Zach Vanderpool (North Dakota State)
DL - Kobe McInnis (Mercer)
DL - Ka'Von Chisolm (South Carolina State)
DL - Justin Kruger (William & Mary)
DL - Evan Aubrey (Southeastern Louisiana)
DL - Dallin Havea (Utah Tech)
LB - Montreze Smith Jr. (Austin Peay)
LB - Jaiden Haygood (UTRGV)
LB - Dexter Niekamp (Illinois State)
LB - Ramere Davis (Northern Arizona)
LB - Anthony Feltrinelli (Valparaiso)
LB - Beckham Dee (Lafayette)
DB - Drew Cofield (UC Davis)
DB - Darius Malcolm Jr. (Wofford)
DB - Tyran Chappell (Houston Christian)
DB - Carson Williams (Montana State)
DB - Chase Hatton (Marist)
DB - Grant Noland (North Dakota)
DB - Nick Yatsko (Indiana State)
DB - Anthony Hawkins (Villanova)
DB - Alijah Prosser (UTRGV)
DB - RJ Stewart (South Dakota)
DB - Caleb Ricks (Idaho)
 
Special Teams
K - Nicholas Romero (Wagner)
K - Noah Piper (Yale)
P - Bobby Engstler (Florida A&M)
P - Lachie Pozzobon (Stephen F. Austin)
KR - Ryan Ricketti (Valparaiso)
KR - Sidney Webb (Morehead State)
KR - LaDamian McDowell (Lamar)
PR - Braden Reed (Villanova)
PR - Darriel Harper (Presbyterian)
AP - Christopher Bennett Jr. (Lindenwood)
AP - Cru Newman (Portland State)