PHILADELPHIA – Five Ursinus football players were named to the 2024 PhillySIDA Academic All-Area team that was announcing on Friday morning.
 
Seniors Jalen Bradford, Marc Clayton, Ryan DiVergilis, and Trey Williams along with junior Jordan Carr earned spots on the team that was compiled of Division I, II, and III players. The Bears five selections were the second most of all the schools represented and Clayton, DiVergilis, plus Carr were unanimous selections.
 
 
The Academic All-Area Team, voted on by the sports information offices of 30 institutions in the Philadelphia metro area, requires a student-athlete to be in their second year at the school and hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better.
 
 
Bradford, an economics major, makes his debut on the team after an outstanding season as QB1 for the Bears. Bradford earned All-Centennial second team honors and ranked third in the Centennial Conference with 2,413 passing yards and second with 23 touchdown passes. He also showcased his dual threat abilities by rushing for a career-high 365 rushing yards and four touchdown runs. Bradford set the Ursinus single game record for seven passing touchdowns against Muhlenberg in early October.
 
 
A health and exercise physiology major, Clayton is also a first time selection after putting it all together in 2024 by pacing the Centennial Conference with a career-high 101 tackles (48 solo). He recorded six double-digit tackle performances and set a career-high of 13 against Gettysburg in November which helped him earn Centennial Conference defensive player of the week honors. Clayton tallied 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and ran two interceptions back for touchdowns with the most recent coming in the NCAA Tournament against King's.
 
 
DiVergilis was the lone three-time selection among all players on the team after capping his career with another strong season at safety. He tied for second in the Centennial Conference with three interceptions and totaled 64 tackles (30 solo) while breaking up six passes. The Media and Communications Studies major earned D3football.com All-Region honors for the first time in his career this week and garnered his third All-Centennial First Team honor.
 
 
A finance major, Williams was another first time selection on the team. Williams earned his third straight All-Centennial honor and his second straight first team nod this season by establishing himself as one of the best tackles in the Centennial Conference. Williams helped guide the Ursinus offense as one of the best in the Centennial Conference as they led the Centennial with 443.7 total yards per game while ranking second by averaging 35.9 points per game. Ursinus decisively had the top rushing offense in the Centennial at 214.1 yards per game as well.
 

Carr rounded out the first time selections behind taking home his second straight All-Centennial honor and his first at the punter position after earning second team kicker honors in 2023. He ranked fourth in the Centennial by averaging 35.5 yards per punt and tied for the Centennial lead by landing 15 punts inside opponents 20-yard line along with four 50-yard punts. He made eight field goals in 2024 that was highlighted by successfully knocking through both attempts in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Below is the full team: