Football | 8/3/2026 2:33:00 PM
August 3, 2026-Emporia State had two players named preseason All-Americans by the CFBNetwork. Linebacker
Landon Boss and defensive back
Tyler Schultze both earned the honor for the Hornet defense.
Boss was a finalist for the Ken B. Jones Award as the top male student-athlete in the MIAA. Last season he earned First-Team All-American honors from the AFCA, D2CCA, AP, Don Hansen Football Committee, and Walter Camp Football Foundation and was named Second-Team All-American by D2Football.com. Boss was a unanimous selection as a First-Team All-MIAA linebacker, while also winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in the Association. The Osage City, Kan. native tallied 101 tackles on the season, which included ten sacks, 11 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown. He led the MIAA in sacks and tackles for loss while ranking second in the league in solo tackles and fourth in total tackles. His 69 solo tackles were the fifth most in the nation, his 17.5 tackles for loss ranked sixth in the nation while his ten sacks were 12th in the nation.
Schultze was a Second-Team All-MIAA selection at defensive back last season. He had 65 total tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss. The senior from DeSoto, Kan. had one interception and 14 pass breakups, giving him 15 passes defended on the season to lead the MIAA and tie for nation in the nation. He has 25 career pass break ups and needs just five to set the Emporia State career record of 30 set by Luke Waller from 2001-04.
The Hornets have averaged over seven wins a year over the past four seasons. They are set to return 13 starters from last season including All-American linebacker
Landon Boss, First-Team All-MIAA receiver
Malik O'Atis, Second-Team All-MIAA defensive back
Tyler Schultze and Third-Team All-MIAA offensive lineman
Trevion Mitchell. Season and single game tickets are on sale now at esuhornets.com while season passes for The MIAA Network will go on sale later this month.
Emporia State opens the season on Thursday, August 27 at Minot State in North Dakota. The first home game will be on Saturday, September 12 against Michigan Tech. Hornet Walk will be at 10:00 a.m. with Live at the Hive tailgate lots opening up at 10:30 a.m. Kick-off from the new Blackcreek Diesel Field at Welch Stadium is set for 1:00 p.m.
CFBNETWORK Preseason All-Americans
Defense
DL Isi Etute (UNC Pembroke)
DL Derrick Drayton (Albany State)
DL Freddie Retter (Kutztown)
LB Landon Boss (Emporia State)
LB Jake Adams (Northern State)
LB Jax Hartel (Northern Michigan)
LB Jefferson Mobry (Minnesota State)
DB Everette Dingle (East Stroudsburg)
DB Marvelous Owens (Northeastern State)
DB Damir Stone (Franklin Pierce)
DB Tyler Schultze (Emporia State)
Offense
QB Judd Novak (Kutztown)
QB Wyatt Bower (Ferris State)
RB Andrew Miller (Harding)
RB JayJay Jordan (Slippery Rock)
WR Que Kennedy (UNC Pembroke)
WR Carter McElhaney (Ouachita Baptist)
WR Kellen Reed (Grand Valley State)
TE Dane Petersen (Wayne State College)
OL Jamari Mason (Johnson C. Smith)
OL Kaleb McCullough (Northwest Missouri)
OL Will Hart (Wingate)
OL Nico Traczyk (Ashland)
OL Cobe Williams (Harding)
Special Teams
K Elijah Guyton (West Alabama)
P Lucas Lesieur (Colorado Mines)
RS Zy'Aire Tart (Virginia Union)
LS Josh Hildebrand (Colorado Mines)
