Contact: Nicholas Osterloo, Director of Athletics Communication, 630-637-5324
2025-26 CSC Academic All-District Selections - Division III Football
Jan. 6, 2026 - Eight North Central College football student-athletes were recognized Tuesday by College Sports Communicators, earning Academic All-District honors for their achievements on the field and in the classroom.
Long snapper Nate Boylan, linebacker Phillip Carlton Jr., offensive lineman Jerred Durian, kicker Aidan Ellison, linebacker Matt Janiak, defensive lineman Tucker Johnson, linebacker Danny Nuccio and wide receiver Jack Rummell represent the Cardinals on this year's list.
To qualify, student-athletes must be at least sophomores academically and athletically with a grade-point average of 3.50 or higher. Nominees must compete in 90 percent of games played or start in at least 66 percent. Transfers are immediately eligible if they meet those standards.
North Central's eight honorees bring the program's all-time total to 45 awards earned by 32 student-athletes.
Boylan, the Cardinals' long snapper on punts, field goals and extra points, is an accounting major from Tinley Park. He snapped for Fred Mitchell Award winner and All-American Aidan Ellison for most of the season. That unit, along with punter and holder Chip Dose, set a program record with 17 made field goals.
Carlton Jr., a business economics major from Plainfield, posted a season-high seven tackles against Elmhurst and finished the year with 38. He recovered a fumble against Washington University in St. Louis and forced another against the Bluejays.
Durian, a mechanical engineering major from Aurora, is now a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection. He helped anchor the line for Division III's No. 2 scoring offense at 47.0 points per game and a unit that averaged 482.5 yards of total offense. He was named a second team All-American by the Associated Press.
Ellison, a Naperville native pursuing his master's in business administration, earned All-America honors from the Associated Press, D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association. He also won the Fred Mitchell Award as the nation's top kicker in the college sub-bowl division, becoming only the second Division III kicker to receive the honor.
Janiak, a biology major from Plainfield, led the Cardinals with 119 tackles, which ranks sixth in program history for a single season. He added eight tackles for loss, one sack, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. His season-high 16 tackles came in the Cardinals' quarterfinal win over Bethel (Minn.).
Johnson, a business economics major from Austin, Colorado, earned the NCAA's Elite Scholar-Athlete award as the student-athlete with the highest GPA competing in the Division III national championship. He recorded three tackles against Bethel and finished the season with 14.
Nuccio, a graduate student from Plainfield, is also a two-time CSC Academic All-District honoree. He ranked second on the team with 90 tackles, including five quarterback hurries and a sack, and logged a career-best 14 tackles in the postseason win over Hanover.
Rummell, a computer science major from Gilberts, caught 42 passes for 803 yards and eight touchdowns. He is now a two-time CSC Academic All-America selection. He posted a career-high 179 receiving yards and two touchdowns against John Carroll.
Durian, Boylan, Janiak, Ellison and Nuccio advance to the national ballot. The CSC Academic All-America teams will be announced Jan. 27.
