THIBODAUX, La - Nicholls State University football senior P.J. Burkhalter earned another preseason honor as the offensive lineman was named to the 2020 College Football America Yearbook (CFA) FCS Preseason Starting Lineup, which is the organization's version of an all-American team. 

The CFA also released its 2020 Preseason FCS Top 30 with Nicholls ranked No. 13. Coming off back-to-back Southland Conference championships and nine-win seasons, it's the second top 15 preseason ranking as the Colonels were also ranked No. 14 in the Athlon Sports preseason poll released earlier this summer. 

A native of Franklinton, Louisiana, Burkhalter is the reigning Southland Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year. He played at center and guard for the Southland's best rushing offense last year and went on to garner five all-American honors. In his three years as a starter, Nicholls led the league in rushing twice and ranked second in 2017. Last season, running back Julien Gums set single-season program rushing records with 1,232 yards and 16 touchdowns.

2020 College Football America FCS Preseason Top 30
1. North Dakota State
2. Northern Iowa
3. James Madison
4. Villanova
5. South Dakota State
6. Montana
7. Montana State
8. Weber State
9. Illinois State
10. Kennesaw State
11. Sacramento State
12. Wofford
13. Nicholls
14. Austin Peay
15. Furman
16. Southeast Missouri
17. Central Arkansas
18. North Carolina A&T
19. Central Connecticut State
20. Monmouth (NJ)
21. Florida A&M
22. Albany
23. Eastern Washington
24. Dartmouth
25. San Diego
26. Southeastern Louisiana
27. Alcorn State
28. Yale
29. North Dakota
30. Holy Cross

2020 College Football America FCS Starting Lineup
Offense
Pos., Name, School, Class
QB Trey Lance, North Dakota State, So.
RB Jah-Maine Martin, NC A&T, Sr.
RB Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison, Sr.
WR Xavier Smith, Florida A&M, Jr.
WR DeAngelo Wilson, Austin Peay, Sr.
OL Drew Himmelman, Illinois State, Sr.
OL Dillon Radunz, North Dakota State, Sr.
OL Liam Forandel, James Madison, Sr.
OL P.J. Burkhalter, Nicholls, Sr.
C Paul Grattan, Villanova, Sr.
 
Defense
Pos., Name, School, Class
DL Elerson G. Smith, Northern Iowa, Sr.
DL Shaundre Mims, Charleston Southern, Jr.
DL Josephus Smith, Austin Peay, Sr.
DL Romeo McKnight, Illinois State, Sr.
LB Willie Eubanks III, The Citadel, Sr.
LB Bryson Armstrong, Kennesaw State, Sr.
LB Jace Lewis, Montana, Sr.
DB Kordell Jackson, Austin Peay, Sr.
DB Robert Rochell, Central Arkansas, Sr.
DB Bryan Mills, NC Central, Sr.
DB Michael Tutsie, North Dakota State, Jr.
 
Specialists
Pos., Name, School, Class
P Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M, Sr.
PK Ethan Ratke, James Madison, Sr.
KR Malik Flowers, Montana, Jr.
PR Montrell Washington, Samford, Sr.
AP D'Angelo Amos, James Madison, Sr.


ABOUT COLLEGE FOOTBALL AMERICA
The College Football America 2020 Yearbook features more than 930 college football teams from the United States and Canada in more than 250 striking, full-color pages. That includes every team from the NCAA (FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III), NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA and U Sports (Canada). It also includes updates on club football, one-year postgraduate prep/sports academies and Mexican college football, along with dozens of action shots and stadium photos taken by the CFA staff. 

The print edition is available online via Amazon.com and other major retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.
 
2020 Book links:
Amazon.com: https://bit.ly/CFAYB2020
Find all of our press releases and media appearances at our pr site, collegefootballamericapr.com.

2020 NICHOLLS FOOTBALL INFO
Season tickets for the 2020 Nicholls football campaign are available by visiting NichollsTickets.com. For more information, please visit the season ticket info page here.

The Colonels are coming off back-to-back Southland Conference championships - a first in school history. Nicholls has made the FCS playoffs three straight years, highlighted by home games in each of the three appearances.