2023 All-NCAC Football Squad Announced

CLEVELAND, OH - DePauw senior defensive lineman Ethan Lowry (Indianapolis, IN/Heritage Christian), Wabash senior quarterback Liam Thompson (Indianapolis, IN/North Central) and Wooster senior kicker Lake Barrett (Columbia, SC/Hammond School) have been named the Players of the Year to highlight the 2023 All-North Coast Athletic Conference football selections.
 
Thompson, who earns his third-straight Mike Gregory Award as the NCAC's Offensive Player of the Year, is just the second overall player to collect the offensive award in three-consecutive seasons, following Wittenberg's Casey Donaldson, who captured the award from 1998-2000. The award is presented in honor of Mike Gregory, a multi-sport standout at Denison in the 1920s. Lowry is the third-consecutive DePauw student-athlete to earn the Hank Critchfield Award as the league's Defensive Player of the Year after classmate Brevon Gude (Avon, IN/Avon) collected the honor a season ago. The award is presented in honor of Hank Critchfield, who was a 1927 graduate of The College of Wooster. Finally, Barrett is the first Wooster recipient of the NCAC's Special Teams Player of the Year award since its inception in 2016.
 
Thompson, who claimed his third-straight top-team nod and fourth-overall selection after earning second-team accolades in 2019, ends his collegiate career as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. The Little Giants' signal caller was top two in the NCAC in nearly every passing category this season, completing 186-of-269 pass attempts (69.1%) for 2,428 yards and 25 touchdowns. Through 10 regular-season games, he also ranked in the top 15 nationally in five different categories, sitting in 12th in points responsible for (212), 13th in both points responsible for per game (21.2) and total offense (315.2), 14th in rush yards per carry (6.77) and 15th in completion percentage (69.1). Thompson, the 2019 Newcomer of the Year, tossed two or more TD passes on nine different occasions this season, which included four touchdowns in three different league matchups. Thompson finishes his career with 20 school and conference passing and total offense records and is a finalist for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, given annually to college football's top scholar-athlete. Thompson owns the NCAC records for career records in passing yards (11,152), passing touchdowns (102), and total offense (12,900).
 
Lowry, who earns his third overall all-NCAC certificate, has elevated himself from honorable mention accolades in 2021 to second team honors in 2022 and now first-team laurels this season. The Tigers allowed a league-low 139 points through 10 regular season games and will enter the 2023 NCAA Division III Football Championships having limited opponents to an average of 72.6 yards per game on the ground this season. Lowry closed out the regular season with eight tackles for loss (38 yards) and 25 total tackles (13 solo, 12 asst.), including six unassisted sacks. He also earned one fumble recovery so far this season. One of the lineman's biggest plays of his career was accomplished last week during overtime of the Monon Bell Game in Little Giant Stadium. Lowry blocked Wabash's game-winning field-goal attempt, which gave DePauw new life, requiring a second overtime. The Tigers pulled out the win which earned them their third-consecutive NCAC championship title and the league's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament.
 
Barrett collects his fourth all-conference nod after claiming third-team accolades in 2022, second-team honors in 2021 and an honorable mention selection in 2019. The senior was selected as the league's top special-teams athlete after converting eight of his 10 field goal attempts, going a perfect 43-for-43 in point after attempts and recording 67 points for the Fighting Scots this season. Barrett ended the 2023 season tying his career-long with a 42-yard field goal against Wittenberg on Nov. 11. The fifth-year recorded three seasons with at least eight field goals made, ending his collegiate career going 29-for-38 on field goals, with the makes ranking as the most in program history. His 76 percent success rate is second all-time in program history. Barrett made it three-consecutive seasons without missing an extra point, totaling 155 overall, the second-most all-time, while his 99.4 percent success rate tops the program leaderboard. The four-time All-NCAC placekicker will graduate with 242 career points, the fifth-most all-time at Wooster.
 
Wittenberg freshman inside linebacker Tyre Smith (Sarasota, FL/Riverview HS) was named the NCAC's Newcomer of the Year as the top player in the league in his first year of collegiate competition in the sport of football. The second-team All-NCAC selection wasted little time finding his footing on the gridiron this fall as the Tigers' top linebacker. In 10 games, the rookie totaled 70 tackles (36 solo, 34 asst.) with seven tackles for a loss (39 yards), 3.5 sacks, and one forced fumble. His sacks rank him top-7 in the NCAC, while his overall tackles, solo tackles and assisted tackles all rank in the top 15 and his tackles-for-loss rank in the top-20 in the league. Smith is Wittenberg's ninth overall Newcomer of the Year, and first since Jimmy Dehnke was named in 2012.
 
DePauw claimed the 2023 Coaching Staff of the Year honors, the third-consecutive NCAC coaching award in program history. The Tigers are led by Head Coach Brett Dietz, Associate Head Coach Scott Srnka and Assistants Rory Mannering, Austin McCrory, Christopher Rutledge, Jr. and Mason Espinosa. The DePauw squad was guided to a perfect 10-0 regular season record and earned its third-consecutive NCAC title after recording an unblemished 8-0 mark in conference play. Through 10 games, the Tiger offense led the league with 2,693 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 61 total touchdowns, 446 points, and an NCAC-low six interceptions. The DePauw defense held opponents to a league-low 16 touchdowns, 14 extra points and 139 points, while making an NCAC-best 29 sacks. The Tigers will be making their fifth appearance in the NCAA postseason when they travel to Alma, on Saturday, Nov. 18.

Related Stories

Related Videos

Now Playing: