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2013 D3football.com All-North Region Teams

Dec. 9, 2013 - Led by Defensive Player of the Year honoree Shane Dierking, eight members of the North Central College football team have been honored with selections to the 2013 All-North Region Teams, as selected by D3football.com.

Dierking is the second North Central player to be named the North Region's Defensive Player of the Year since D3football.com began selecting All-Region Teams in 2005, joining linebacker Matt Wenger in 2010. Also this season's College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Defensive Player of the Year, Dierking has intercepted eight passes this season to lead the CCIW and tie the North Central single-season record. He intercepted his school-record 16th career pass in the Cardinals' 41-17 victory at Bethel University on Saturday, when he also moved into 10th place all-time at North Central in career tackles (200). Dierking was also an All-North Region selection in 2012.

Also making the All-Region First Team is defensive end Alex Tripp, who has turned in 62 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 8.5 quarterback sacks and an interception this season. He earned Second Team All-Region honors in 2012 and has been a First Team All-CCIW pick the past two seasons.

Selected to the All-Region Second Team are quarterback Spencer Stanek, offensive linemen Jace Werkheiser and Greg Whalen and linebacker Nick Slezak, while the Third Team includes wide receiver Peter Sorenson and kicker Nick Dace.

Stanek is the Division III national leader in passing efficiency (195.6) and has set North Central single-season records for completions (245), passing yards (3,297) and passing touchdowns (41) this season. He is on pace to set single-season and career records for passing efficiency and completion percentage and was named the CCIW Offensive Player of the Year. Werkheiser and Whalen, the Cardinals' starting offensive tackles the past three seasons, have provided protection for an offense which has set school records for total offensive yards (6,567), points (599) and touchdowns (82), while Slezak leads North Central in tackles (106) and tackles for loss (19). Werkheiser is the fifth Cardinal to receive All-Region honors from D3football.com three straight  years.

Sorenson is the Cardinals' leading receiver, having caught 70 passes for 990 yards and 14 touchdowns. He is one touchdown shy of tying North Central's single-season record. Dace is North Central's all-time leading scorer (388 points) and holds the Cardinals' career records for field goals (49) and extra points (241). He ranks third in Division III history in points scored by kicking and fourth in field goals made.

The fourth-ranked Cardinals (13-0) are preparing for their first-ever national semifinal at the No. 1-ranked University of Mount Union (Ohio) on Saturday. Kickoff is at noon Eastern time and links to live coverage can be found by clicking HERE.