MINNEAPOLIS, MN - D3football.com announced its 2026 Division III Preseason All-America teams, and two North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) student-athletes earned recognition. DePauw senior tight end Palmer Samuels (Muncie, IL/Delta) and Washington University in St. Louis senior offensive lineman Brady Cavan (Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West) were both named to the third team.
 
Samuels enters the season coming off a breakout junior year in which he hauled in 38 receptions for 451 yards and five touchdowns, earning him First Team All-NCAC and All-Region honors. He posted his best outing against John Carroll, catching five passes for 106 yards and two scores, including a 44-yard reception.
 
Cavan enters the season as a returning Second Team All-Region and All-CCIW First Team Offense honoree. He started all 11 games on the offensive line in 2025 as part of a unit that helped the Bears score 356 points, averaging 32.36 points per game.