NACC Announces 2023 Football Major Awards, All-Conference Teams

11/20/2023 2:00:00 PM

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- The Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) has announced its major award winners and all-conference teams for the 2023 football season.

Aurora University senior linebacker Marcellus Romious (Belleville, Ill.) was named NACC Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, while teammate Ian Luyando (Guadalajara, Mexico) - a junior quarterback - was named NACC Offensive Player of the Year, Rockford University linebacker Joey Alvarez (Rockford, Ill.) has been named NACC Freshman of the Year, and the Aurora University coaching staff led by Don Beebe has been named NACC Coaching Staff of the Year.

NACC Offensive Player of the Year --- Ian Luyando, jr., QB, Aurora University
In 10 regular-season games, Luyando threw for 2,492 yards and 39 touchdowns while completing 65.5 percent (169-of-258) of his passes. He also ran for 491 yards and three touchdowns on 93 carries.

Luyando leads all NACC quarterbacks in completion percentage, passing efficiency (191.9), passing touchdowns, points responsible for (252), and yards per passing attempt (9.66) and ranks second in passing yards and yards per completion (14.75) and third in total offense (297.9 ypg). He currently ranks fifth nationally in passing TDs, seventh in passing efficiency, and 12th in yards per attempt.

Luyando threw for 300 yards three times and six touchdowns three times while posting a streak of six straight games where he was responsible for at least four touchdowns. Luyando topped 100 yards both on the ground and through the air in Aurora's first two games, then fell two rushing yards short of accomplishing the feat (243 passing, 98 rushing) in a win over St. Norbert.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that an Aurora student-athlete has been named NACC Offensive Player of the Year. Aurora trails only Lakeland (five) in terms of total honorees all-time.

NACC Defensive Player of the Year --- Marcellus Romious, sr., LB, Aurora University
Romious has been the unquestioned leader of the Aurora defense. In 11 games, he has posted a team-high 79 tackles with 7.5 tackles-for-loss (five solo), two sacks, three interceptions, three pass break-ups, four quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. His 42 solo stops also leads the Spartans. 

Romious had a season-high 14 tackles (five solo) in the regular-season finale against Concordia Wisconsin - a 23-0 victory that gave the Spartans sole possession of the NACC title. He averages 7.2 tackles per game while leading an Aurora defense that ranks 17th nationally in total defense (250.5 ypg), sixth in scoring defense (10.1 ppg), and 24th in rushing defense (83.5 ypg).

Romious is the second student-athlete to capture multiple NACC Football Defensive Player of the Year awards. Benedictine's Ben Lockton shared the award in 2011 and won it outright in 2012. This is also the fifth time an Aurora student-athlete has captured the award - a league-best total.

NACC Freshman of the Year --- Joey Alvarez, LB, Rockford University
Alvarez led Rockford with 84 tackles, including 47 solo stops, despite playing in just played in eight of the Regents' 10 games this season. He led all NACC players in tackles per game with 10.5, while ranking second in solo tackles with 5.9 stops per contest.

Alvarez also posted 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one interception, four pass break-ups, and a fumble recovery.

He had at least eight tackles in five of his eight games, with a season-high 18 (eight solo) against Benedictine - a game in which he also had his lone interception of the season. Alvarez also had an exceptional game against St. Norbert this season, posting 17 tackles, including 14 solo stops, with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.

Alvarez is the second Rockford football student-athlete to be named NACC Freshman of the Year. Seth Swinehart shared the award in 2011.

NACC Coaching Staff of the Year --- Aurora University (Don Beebe, head coach)
Under the direction of fifth-year head coach Don Beebe, the Spartans posted a 10-0 record during the regular season and won a fifth-straight NACC title with an 8-0 mark. The unbeaten regular season is just the second in program history (1992).

After posting a 20-7 win over Coe last weekend, Aurora has advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the second consecutive season.

The Spartans lead all NACC programs in completion percentage (.659), first downs (269), fumbles recovered (12), kickoff returns (22.78), kickoff return defense (13.78), passes intercepted (19), passing yards allowed (166.9), passing yards per completion (14.32), punt returns (23.5 ypr), rushing defense (83.5 ypg), rushing offense (249.6 ypg), scoring offense (54.9 ppg), scoring defense (10.1 ppg), passing efficiency (183.55), passing efficiency defense (79.41), total offense (508.6 ypg), total defense (250.5 ypg), turnover margin (+1.27), and turnovers gained (31), and ranks second in net punting (33.86), passing offense (259.0 ypg), red zone offense (0.800), and team tackles for loss (8.1 per game).

Nationally, Aurora ranks in the top 10 in punt returns (second), pass efficiency defense (second), scoring offense (third), punt return defense (fourth), turnovers gained (fourth), kickoff return defense (fifth), scoring defense (sixth), fumbles recovered (seventh, 12), passing efficiency (eighth), total offense (eighth), first downs (ninth), and interceptions (ninth).

Beebe is assisted by Ryan Gehlert (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks), Troy Sheppard (Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers), J.T. Zimmerman (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line), Joe Thorgesen (Running Backs), Jeremiah Chaney (Offensive Line), and Larry Sheppard (Defensive Backs) and graduate assistants Matt Piasecki and Dylan Paul.

This is the fourth consecutive year (no honors were given in Spring 2021) that Beebe or a Beebe-led staff has been recognized by their peers. Aurora now has a league-best six honors all-time.

All-Conference Teams Announced
League champion Aurora was well represented on this year's All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference football teams with a league-leading 14 selections, including a NACC-best 13 first-teamers. St. Norbert was next with 12 selections with four landing on the first team, while Concordia Wisconsin earned eight picks overall and three first-teamers.

Benedictine received six all-league selections, followed by Eureka with five, Wisconsin Lutheran with four, Rockford with three, and Concordia Chicago and Lakeland with two apiece. Of those with first-team honorees, Eureka had three, Benedictine and Wisconsin Lutheran had two each, and Lakeland had one.
2023 All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Football Team
Offensive Player of the Year - Ian Luyando, Jr., QB, Aurora
Defensive Player of the Year - Marcellus Romious, Sr., LB, Aurora
Freshman of the Year - Joey Alvarez, LB, Rockford
Coaching Staff of the Year - Aurora University (Don Beebe, head coach)
Pos. First Team School Yr. Hometown
QB Ian Luyando Aurora Jr. Guadalajara, Mexico
RB Jhe'Quay Chretin Aurora Sr. Bastrop, Texas
RB Ben Bernabei Eureka Sr. Peru, Ill.
WR Trey Madsen Aurora Sr. Montgomery, Ill.
WR Ty Pruett Aurora Jr. Cedar Creek, Texas
WR Sebastian Hill Eureka Jr. Pekin, Ill.
WR Emmitt Hawkins Wisconsin Lutheran Fr. Cudahy, Wis.
TE Trevion Green Wisconsin Lutheran Sr. Miami, Fla.
OL Matt Kickel Aurora Sr. Bolingbrook, Ill.
OL Jalen Cole Aurora Sr. Channahon, Ill.
OL Michael Shine Benedictine Gr. Chicago, Ill.
OL Hugo Garza Eureka Sr. Arcola, Ill.
OL Lucas Tappy St. Norbert So. Iron Mountain, Mich.
DB Robbie Peterson Aurora Sr. Sarasota, Fla.
DB Ben Slatcoff Aurora Sr. Valparaiso, Ind.
DB Evan Lischka Concordia Wisconsin Sr. Manitowoc, Wis.
DB Jayson Wilder Lakeland Sr. Milwaukee, Wis.
LB Marcellus Romious Aurora Sr. Belleville, Ill.
LB Justice Kaneta Concordia Wisconsin Jr. Brighton, Colo.
LB Sam Barnett St. Norbert Jr. Trempealeau, Wis.
LB Kyle Santos St. Norbert Jr. Big Bend, Wis.
DL Jaylen Jordan Aurora Jr. Frankfort, Ill.
DL Otis Watts Aurora Sr. Chicago, Ill.
DL Brian Pritt Benedictine Jr. Chicago, Ill.
DL Daylan Lujan St. Norbert Jr. Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
RET James Mautino Aurora Sr. Spring Valley, Ill.
P Luke Droegmueller Concordia Wisconsin Fr. Cumming, Ga.
PK Matthew Hylek Aurora Sr. Hobart, Ind.
Pos. Second Team School Yr. Hometown
QB Jaelen Ray Rockford Jr. Kissimmee, Fla.
RB Gregory Hoard Benedictine Gr. Chicago, Ill.
RB Ashar Thomas Concordia Wisconsin Sr. Punta Gorda, Fla.
RB Owen Kudick St. Norbert Sr. Green Bay, Wis.
WR Nick Shelton Benedictine Sr. Stickney, Ill.
WR Jayce Levy Concordia Chicago Jr. Davenport, Iowa
WR Da'Quan McIntosh Rockford Jr. Broward County, Fla.
TE Justin Hocker Benedictine Sr. West Chicago, Ill.
OL Khristian Duran Concordia Chicago Jr. Joliet, Ill.
OL Andrew Elmhorst Concordia Wisconsin Jr. Manawa, Wis.
OL Jerrell Carey Concordia Wisconsin Sr. Chicago, Ill.
OL Nathan Krizan St. Norbert Sr. Shawano, Wis.
OL Hunter Hucek St. Norbert Jr. Green Bay, Wis.
DB Ernesto Ramirez Aurora Sr. Minooka, Ill.
DB Gio Nowotarski Concordia Wisconsin Jr. Reading, Pa.
DB Jack Arnett Eureka Sr. Princeville, Ill.
DB Logan Dorner St. Norbert Sr. Green Bay, Wis.
LB Tyler Walker Benedictine Sr. Peoria, Ill.
LB Brendan Durr Eureka Sr. Washington, Ill.
LB Joey Alvarez Rockford Fr. Rockford, Ill.
LB Savon Goodwin Wisconsin Lutheran Jr. New Orleans, La.
DL Marquiton Sellers Concordia Wisconsin So. Winnsboro, La.
DL Jake Leclaire Lakeland Sr. Stuart, Fla.
DL Justin Benoit St. Norbert Jr. De Pere, Wis.
DL Kyle Kubacki Wisconsin Lutheran Sr. St. Francis, Wis.
RET Austin Miller St. Norbert Jr. Combined Locks, Wis.
P Mason Levake St. Norbert Fr. Lake Mills, Wis.
PK Dalton Moyse St. Norbert So. Hiram, Ga.
Pos. Honorable Mention School Yr. Hometown
DB Conner Nordmeyer Aurora Sr. Lindenhurst, Ill.
DL Joel Coston Aurora Jr. Fishers, Ind.
WR Michael Boland Aurora Sr. Huntley, Ill.
DL Isaiah Perrin Aurora Sr. Lake Villa, Ill.
PK Liam McCarthy Benedictine Sr. Orland Park, Ill.
DL Jack Hayden Benedictine Fr. Woodstock, Ill.
WR Nathan Rillo Benedictine Sr. Jasper, Ind.
DB Tommy O'Malley Benedictine Sr. Naperville, Ill.
RB Joron Brown Concordia Chicago Fr. St. Joseph, Mich.
DB Demari Grant Concordia Chicago So. Chicago, Ill.
QB/S/P Troy Pratley Concordia Chicago Jr. St. Joseph, Mich.
RET Nick Crowell Concordia Wisconsin So. Las Vegas, Nev.
DB Justin Cabrera Concordia Wisconsin Sr. San Antonio, Texas
DB Se'Korrey Thomas Concordia Wisconsin Fr. Punta Gorda, Fla.
LB Breven Palpallatoc Concordia Wisconsin Sr. Las Vegas, Nev.
LB Ben Kraft Concordia Wisconsin Sr. Wauwatosa, Wis.
DL Chase Coots Concordia Wisconsin Sr. Round Rock, Texas
RB Pierre Summers III Concordia Wisconsin Jr. Columbus, Ga.
LB Austin Hopkins Eureka Sr. Arcola, Ill.
DB Shamond Oliver Lakeland So. Phenix City, Ala.
LB Karlis Ozols Lakeland Sr. Fond du Lac, Wis.
QB Robby Michael Lakeland So. Sheboygan, Wis.
OL Zach Welnetz Lakeland Sr. Kiel, Wis.
P Kaden Finnestad Rockford So. Belvidere, Ill.
RET William Key Rockford So. Rockford, Ill.
DL Chancellor Bradley Jr. Rockford So. Humble, Texas
TE Curtis Hosea Rockford Jr. Hobart, Ind.
RB Delton Zuleger St. Norbert Sr. Schofield, Wis.
WR Paul Bageanis St. Norbert Sr. Rockford, Ill.
WR Mitch Van Vooren St. Norbert Sr. Marinette, Wis.
QB Peyton Lyon St. Norbert So. Oshkosh, Wis.
PK Arnulfo Ortega Wisconsin Lutheran Jr. Laredo, Texas
RET Jamil Gordon Wisconsin Lutheran So. San Marcos, Texas
DB Xavion Allen Wisconsin Lutheran Jr. Royse City, Texas
QB Bryce Barbian Wisconsin Lutheran So. Cudahy, Wis.
LB Layson Handwork Wisconsin Lutheran So. Merritt Island, Fla.