Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes and North Central RB Joe Sacco lead AP Division III All-America team
Cortland quarterback Zac Boyes (12) stretches for a first down past North Central defender BJ Adamchik (34) during the second half of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl NCAA Division III championship football game in Salem, Va., Friday Dec. 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Matt Gentry
Quarterback Zac Boyes, who led Cortland to its first national championship, and running Joe Sacco from national runner-up North Central highlighted The Associated Press Division III All-America Team announced Friday.
Boyes had 349 yards passing and 123 rushing in Cortland's 38-37 victory against North Central in the title game last week. He was joined on the first team by teammates Cody Aikey, an offensive lineman, and Cole Burgess, a wide receiver.
North Central, which won national titles in 2022 and 2019, had five players chosen first-team All-America, more than any other school. Joining Sacco, who ran for 1,661 yards, were offensive linemen Jeske Maples and Jarod Thornton, receiver DeAngelo Hardy and receiver Joey Lombardi, who was selected as an all-purpose player.
Maples and Hardy are All-Americans for the second straight season, along with Mount Union receiver Wayne Ruby and defensive end Rossy Moore and Saint John's tight end Alex Larson.
North Central quarterback Luke Lehnen, who won the Gagliardi Trophy last week as the top player in Division III, was selected to the second team.
The Division III All-America team is chosen by a panel of sports information directors who cover D-III football.
FIRST TEAM (Offense)
North Central quarterback Luke Lehnen (5) runs for a touchdown past Cortland defender Luke Winslow (13) during the second half of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl NCAA Division III championship football game in Salem, Va., Friday Dec. 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Matt Gentry
Quarterback — Zac Boyes, fourth-year, Cortland.
Running backs — Giovanni Weeks, fifth-year, Wheaton (Ill.); Joe Sacco, third-year, North Central (Ill.).
Linemen — Jeske Maples, third-year, North Central (Ill.); Mike Bertoia, fifth-year, Wisconsin-La Crosse; Jarod Thornton, fifth-year, North Central (Ill.); Matthew Kickel, third-year, Aurora; Cody Aikey, third-year, Cortland.
Tight end — Alex Larson, fifth-year, Saint John's (Minn.).
Cortland's Cole Burgess (15) runs for a touchdown past North Central's Kyler Green (4) during the second half of the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl NCAA Division III championship football game in Salem, Va., Friday Dec. 15, 2023. Credit: AP/Matt Gentry
Receivers — DeAngelo Hardy, fifth-year, North Central (Ill.); Wayne Ruby, fifth-year, Mount Union; Cole Burgess, sixth-year, Cortland.
All-purpose player — Joey Lombardi, third-year, North Central (Ill.).
Kicker — Michael Stack, second-year, Wisconsin-La Crosse.
FIRST TEAM (Defense)
Linemen — Justin Blazek, fifth-year, Wisconsin-Platteville; Luke Schuermann, fourth-year, Johns Hopkins; Rossy Moore, third-year, Mount Union; Anthony Cikauskas, second-year, Monmouth (Ill.).
Linebackers — Owen Grover, fifth-year, Wartburg; Odin Soffredine, fifth-year, Alma; Caleb Harmel, fifth-year, Trinity (Texas).
Defensive backs — Parker Rochford, third-year, Wartburg; K.J. Kelley, fifth-year, Howard Payne; Derek Slywka, fourth-year, Ithaca; Egon Hein, fifth-year, Wisconsin-Whitewater; Josh Jones, fifth-year, Mount Union.
Punter — Cameron Shirangi, fourth-year, Pomona-Pitzer.
SECOND TEAM (Offense)
Quarterback — Luke Lehnen, third-year, North Central (Ill.).
Running backs —Hunter Clasen, fifth-year, Wartburg; Brandon Cade, third-year, Berry.
Linemen — Ben Lilly, fourth-year, Mount Union; Vinny LePre, fifth-year, Grove City; Nehemiah Nixon, fifh-year, Randolph-Macon; Alex Klecker, fifth-year, Wisconsin-River Falls; Justyn Lester, fifth-year, Endicott.
Tight end — James Nye, fifth-year, Muhlenberg.
Receivers — Collin Brunstein, fourth-year, Illinois College; Jake Breitbach, fourth-year, Gustavus Adolphus; Jack Studer, fifth-year, Wisconsin-La Crosse.
All-purpose player — James Mautino, fifth-year, Aurora.
Kicker — Tyler Huettel, third-year, Trinity (Texas).
SECOND TEAM (Defense)
Linemen — Jordan Downing, fifth-year, Wartburg; Ryan Bodolus, fourth-year, Ursinus; Martin Egbo, fourth-year, North Central (Ill.) Brian Pritt, third-year, Benedictine (Ill.).
Linebackers — Robert Coury, fourth-year, Carnegie Mellon; Blake Rybar, third-year, Linfield; Jack Winey, third-year, Cortland.
Defensive backs — Raylens Boutin, fifh-year, Brockport; Julian Bell, fourth-year, North Central (Ill.); Dalton Tjong, third-year, Ohio Northern; Will Pickren, fourth-year, Hampden-Sydney; Jack Shaw, fifth-year, Coe.
Punter — Andrew Toler, fourth-year, Rose-Hulman.
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Selection panel: Ira Thor (New Jersey City); Mark Albanese (Pacific Lutheran); Ashley Birchmeier (Hanover); Phil de Montmollin (Brevard); Kim DeRitter (Kean); Lindsay Dietmeier (Wisconsin-Platteville); Tristan Durgin (U. of New England); Fran Elia (Cortland); Ryan Emerson (Dean); Mark Fisher (Carnegie Mellon); Joe Flaherty (Central, Iowa); Lance Franey (Redlands); Tim Glon (Ohio Northern); Chad Grubbs (Hardin-Simmons); Brent Harris (Wabash); Geoff Henson (Olivet); Sean King (Allegheny); Brian Kipley (Aurora); Ryan Klinkner (Saint John’s (Minn.);, Ernie Larossa (Johns Hopkins); Justin Lutes (Ithaca); Kathy Lynch (Framingham State); Brian Magoffin (Springfield); Brett Marhanka (Wheaton (Ill.); Maxx McNall (Wesleyan); J.J. Nekoloff (Old Dominion Athletic Conference); John Painter (Maryville. Tenn.);, Justin Parker (Trinity, Texas); Brock Reisler (Ripon); BJ Schneck (Greenville); Clark Teuscher (North Central, Ill.); James Wagner (Stevenson).
