NAPERVILLE – The D3football.com All-Region 5 Team announced Wednesday included 26 selections from the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW), as well as the Offensive Player of the Year selection for North Central quarterback Luke Lehnen and the Coach of the Year award for North Park’s Kyle Rooker.
 
League champion and national semifinalist North Central led the way with 11 overall choices, including nine on the First Team. Wheaton, Augustana, Carroll and Illinois Wesleyan were also represented with First-Team honorees.
 
Lehnen, the CCIW Art Keller Offensive Student-Athlete of the Year, will enter Saturday’s semifinal at Wartburg as the national leader in completion percentage (76.5%), passing efficiency (276.7) and passing yards per completion (20.04). The junior from Chatham, Ill. is the third Cardinal since 2018 to be named All-Region Offensive Player of the Year, joining Ethan Greenfield (2022) and Broc Rutter (2019, 2018).
 
Rooker piloted North Park to a 5-5 mark in 2023, the Vikings’ most wins in a season since 1968. The fifth-year head coach also led NPU to a pair of shutout wins, including a 38-0 victory over Millikin on Sept. 23 that marked the Vikings’ first CCIW shutout since 1992.
 
According to D3football.com, honorees were selected in balloting by Region 5 sports information directors and D3football.com staff and were chosen from 155 nominations by full Division III member schools. A total of 76 players were chosen. Players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for D3football.com All-America honors, which will be announced the evening of Dec. 15, in D3football.com’s pregame coverage for Stagg Bowl 50.
 
D3football.com All-Region 5 First Team Offense
QB, Luke Lehnen, North Central
RB, Giovanni Weeks, Wheaton
WR, DeAngelo Hardy, North Central
WR, Ben Bonga, Wheaton
T, Jeske Maples, North Central
G, Sam Pryor, North Central
C, Jarod Thornton, North Central
 
D3football.com All-Region 5 First Team Defense
DE, Martin Egbo, North Central
LB, BJ Adamchik, North Central
CB, Antwain Walker, North Central
S, Julian Bell, North Central
CB, Nick Harper, Augustana
P, Noah Streveler, Carroll
ST, Jahari Scott, Illinois Wesleyan
 
D3football.com All-Region 5 Second Team Offense
RB, Joe Sacco, North Central
G, Paul Fay, Wheaton
C, Trever Gabriele, Wheaton
T, Elijah Nitz, Wheaton
K, Jacon Laurent, Carroll
 
D3football.com All-Region 5 Second Team Defense
LB, Jaydin Miller, North Park
CB, Max Wilson, Wheaton
 
D3football.com All-Region 5 Third Team Offense
G, Brayden Macdonald, Augustana
T, Cain Johnson, Augustana
RET, Joey Lombardi, North Central
 
D3football.com All-Region 5 Third Team Defense
DE, Nick Mantas, Carroll
DE, Peter Johanik, Wheaton