Contact: Clark Teuscher, Sports Information Director, 630-637-5302
2019 Associated Press Division III All-America Teams
Dec. 19, 2019 - One day away from taking the field in search of its first NCAA Division III national championship, the North Central College football team has been recognized for its stellar performance by the Associated Press with a nation-leading five selections to its 2019 Division III All-America First Team. This year's selections, determined by a panel of Division III sports information directors, were announced Thursday.
Junior cornerback Jake Beesley, junior offensive lineman Sharmore Clarke, sophomore running back Ethan Greenfield, junior wide receiver Andrew Kamienski and senior quarterback Broc Rutter each claimed First Team honors, matching Saint John's University (Minnesota) for the most total selections between the First and Second Teams. The University of Mount Union (Ohio), was the only other team with more than two First Team honorees, claiming three spots.
The five First Team selections are the most the Cardinals have ever had on a single All-America Team and match the most total selections to a single team. North Central's 2013 team placed five honorees on the D3football.com All-America Teams. Clarke is a First Team AP All-America selection for the second straight year, while Rutter made the Second Team in 2018. Clarke, Rutter and Kamienski each made the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Team on Dec. 4, while Beesley and Greenfield are All-Americans for the first time.
Beesley earned First Team All-CCIW and All-North Region honors in 2019 and is the Cardinals' leader in interceptions (4) and pass breakups (11), and his 15 total passes defended matches the seventh-highest single-season total in the program's history. Beesley recovered a fumble and made a game-clinching iinterception in the end zone to seal North Central's 59-52 second-round win over the University of Mount Union. Clarke, the Cardinals' starting left guard for the third straight year, earned First Team All-CCIW and CCIW Offensive Lineman of the Year honors for the second straight season in 2019 and has been the Cardinals' highest-graded lineman all season long.
Greenfield, also a First Team All-CCIW and All-North Region selection for the first time this season, currently is the Division III national leader in rushing yards (2,031) and all-purpose yards (2,406) while ranking second in rushing touchdowns (26). All three totals are new North Central single-season records. He established a new single-game school record with 301 rushing yards in the Cardinals' 51-15 first-round playoff victory over Wabash College.
Kamienski is the Division III national leader in receptions (124) and receiving yards (1,882), and his 30 touchdown receptions this season stand as a new Division III single-season record. Kamienski has also surpassed the Cardinals' career records for receptions (253), receiving yards (3,620) and touchdown receptions (45). A First Team All-CCIW and All-North Region selection for the third straight year in 2019, Kamienski ranks second among all active Division III players in receptions and yards.
Rutter has also earned D3football.com North Region and College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) Offensive Player of the Year honors this season and heads into this week's national championship have already broken his North Central single-season records for pass completions (291), passing yards (4,328) and passing touchdowns (54). He ranks second nationally in yards, touchdowns and passing effiency (201.7) and has already set a new Division III career record for most games with at least 200 yards passing (44). With 14,002 career passing yards, Rutter is the leading active passer in all divisions of college football and is 247 yards shy of matching the all-time Division III record of 14,249 yards set by Alex Tanney of Monmouth College from 2007-2011.
The season's final All-America Teams to be announced will be the D3football.com All-America Teams, which will be made public prior to the Cardinals' matchup with the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the Division III national championship game, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPNU. Click HERE for additional links to live coverage.
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