Eight Ohio Football Student-Athletes Named to 2026 Athlon All-MAC Team

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ATHENS, Ohio— The Ohio football program is represented by eight student-athletes on the 2026 Athlon Sports All-MAC team Tuesday (June 30).

Redshirt junior safety DJ Walker earned a first-team nod, while redshirt senior linebacker Michael Molnar snagged second-team honors. The Bobcats landed four student-athletes on All-MAC Third-Team, with junior running back Duncan Brune and senior offensive lineman CJ Dawson II representing the offense, while senior defensive lineman Nehemiah Dukes and sophomore linebacker Charlie Christopher represent the defense. Redshirt senior linebacker Jack Fries and junior defensive back Eli Thompson both earned fourth-team accolades.

Brune (Cologne, Germany) appeared in all 13 games for Ohio in 2025, recording 585 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. Notably, he tallied two rushing touchdowns on two separate occurrences against NIU (Oct. 18) and UMass (Nov. 18), also recording his first career 100-yard rushing game against NIU. Brune wrapped up the season with his first Academic All-MAC nod.

Christopher (Uniontown, Ohio) started in six games as a true freshman in 2025, appearing in all 13 games for Ohio. He tallied 63 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks, broke up two passes, recorded one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Notably, Christopher forced a fumble against NIU (Oct. 18) and recorded his first career sack against Miami (Nov. 4).

Dawson II (Green, Ohio) comes to Ohio by way of Gardner-Webb, where he appeared in 24 games across two seasons (2024-25). Following the 2025 season, he earned All-Big South Honorable Mention. Previously, Dawson also played for Tiffin (2022-23).

Dukes (Douglasville, Ga.) had a strong debut season with the Bobcats, starting in all 13 games in 2025. He tallied 30 total tackles with seven solo stops, including two for a loss and one sack. Notably, Dukes recorded his first sack as a Bobcat against West Virginia (Sept. 6).

Fries (Cincinnati, Ohio) appeared in eight games in 2025, making seven starts. He recorded 54 total tackles, including three for a loss and 25 solo stops. Notably, Fries snagged his first career interception against UMass (Nov. 18) and tallied a career-high 11 tackles against Western Michigan (Nov. 11). He was recognized for his off-field performance with his second Academic All-MAC nod.

Molnar (Mason, Ohio) started in eight games during the 2025 season. He tallied 73 total tackles— including 5.5 for a loss— 25 solo stops, and 1.5 sacks. Molnar recorded his first career sack against West Virginia (Sept. 6), ultimately earning MAC Defensive Player of the Week accolades for his performance in the Bobcats' home opener (Sept. 8).

Thompson (Rome, Ga.) comes to Ohio by way of Holy Cross; over three seasons, he appeared in 27 games. Thompson's performance in 2025 earned him All-Patriot League Second Team honors, recording 85 total tackles—including 33 solo stops and 5.5 for loss. Notably, he recorded his first career sack against Lehigh (Nov. 8). He snagged four interceptions on the season, two of which he returned for touchdowns. Against New Hampshire (Sept. 6), he recorded a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown; later in the season, Thompson returned two picks for 98 total yards and one touchdown against Georgetown (Nov. 22).

Walker (Aliquippa, Pa.) captained the 2025 squad, starting in all 13 games. He tallied 61 tackles, including 37 solo stops and 6 tackles for a loss. On the season, Walker recorded two interceptions and one pass breakup. His first interception came against Bowling Green (Sept. 27) and his second against UNLV in the Scooters Coffee Frisco Bowl (Dec. 23)

The Bobcats' 12-game slate features six games at Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium, including four Saturdays. With first-year head coach John Hauser at the helm, Ohio is looking to continue its winning streak in Athens. The 13-game streak, which dates back to the 2023 season, is the Bobcats' longest home-game winning streak in program history. Notably, the program has won 40 games in four seasons (2022-25), 23 of which were on home turf. Additionally, Ohio has won its last four home openers, highlighted by a 17-10 victory over the West Virginia Mountaineers (Sept. 6, 2025).

2026 season tickets are available now; click here to purchase online or call the ticket office at 740-593-1300. Season tickets will be available for purchase until Ohio's home opener against Jacksonville State (Sept. 12). Packages start as low as $55; click here for more information.

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Eight Ohio Football Student-Athletes Named to 2026 Athlon All-MAC Team

Players Mentioned

Duncan Brune

Charlie Christopher

CJ Dawson II

Nehemiah Dukes

Jack Fries

Michael Molnar

Eli Thompson

DJ Walker

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