Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Associate Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
GRINNELL, Iowa — The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced its 2024 Football All-Conference Teams and individual awards on Friday, as selected by the league’s ten head coaches. Leading the honorees are Lake Forest’s Ian Ramey and A.J. Jackson, named Offensive Line MVP and Offensive Skill MVP, respectively; Monmouth’s Tevin Baker and Nick Harris, recognized as Defensive Line MVP and Defensive Skill MVP, respectively; and Lawrence’s Jahlan Paul, honored as Newcomer of the Year. All five players were also selected First Team All-MWC.
Behind fifth-year offensive lineman
Ian Ramey, the Foresters fielded the league’s third-best offense. Against MWC opponents, Lake Forest amassed 3,780 yards of offense, including 2,200 passing yards, 1,580 rushing yards, and 57 total touchdowns. The Foresters’ 35 rushing touchdowns led the conference.
Graduate student
A.J. Jackson showcased his versatility, excelling as both a receiver and running back for Lake Forest. In eight MWC games, Jackson led the league in touchdowns with 26 (20 rushing and 6 receiving). He totaled 1,391 all-purpose yards, the second-highest in the conference, averaging 173.9 yards per game. Jackson rushed for 558 yards on 79 attempts and added 615 yards on 33 receptions.
Fifth-year defensive lineman
Tevin Baker anchored Monmouth’s top-ranked defense. Baker led the league in sacks with seven solo and ranked second in tackles for loss with 12 (six assisted), accounting for 68 yards. He also forced two fumbles.
Monmouth teammate and fifth-year defensive end
Nick Harris recorded 53 tackles in league play, including 35 solo and 18 assisted. Harris added one sack, four pass breakups, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles.
First-year defensive back
Jahlan Paul of Lawrence University made an immediate impact, leading the MWC in interceptions with seven for 82 yards, including one returned for a touchdown. Paul also registered a league-best 13 pass breakups.
In his 16th season at the helm of the Lake Forest squad,
Jim Catanzaro was named MWC Football Coach of the Year by his peers. Catanzaro guided the Foresters to a perfect 10-0 regular season (9-0 MWC), capturing their third MWC Football Championship in four seasons. Lake Forest also earned its fourth NCAA postseason appearance, securing a first-round bye and a No. 2 ranking in the most recent Region V rankings.
The
Knox College Prairie Fire received the Team Sportsmanship Award, recognizing the team that best exemplifies the sportsmanship ideals of the Midwest Conference.
The full 70-member All-MWC Football Team can be found below.
| 2024 Midwest Conference Football All-Conference & Individual Awards |
|
|
|
| First Team |
Second Team |
Individual Awards |
| Offensive Linemen (7) |
Offensive Linemen (7) |
Offensive Line MVP |
| Ian Ramey, Lake Forest |
Sean Brady, Lake Forest |
Ian Ramey, Lake Forest |
| Coby McMillan, Monmouth |
Evan Henley, Illinois College |
|
| James Conner, Monmouth |
Creed Justice, Knox |
Offensive Skill MVP |
| Vinny Colasacco, Lake Forest |
Ryan Boles, UChicago |
A.J. Jackson, Lake Forest |
| Tyrell Taylor, Grinnell |
Jake Benninger, Illinois College |
|
| Braxton Matteson, Lake Forest |
Devin Quirarte, Cornell |
Defensive Line MVP |
| Collier McPherson, Illinois College |
Tony Damp, Ripon |
Tevin Baker, Monmouth |
|
|
|
| Running Backs (2) |
Running Backs (2) |
Defensive Skill MVP |
| A.J. Jackson, Lake Forest |
Tanner Spencer, Illinois College |
Nick Harris, Monmouth |
| Tony Gomez, Cornell |
McKade Brooks, Monmouth |
|
|
|
Newcomer of the Year |
| Wide Receivers (4) |
Wide Receivers (4) |
Jahlan Paul, Lawrence |
| Collin Brunstein, Illinois College |
Tee Land, Lake Forest |
|
| Nate Thornton, Monmouth |
Alex Mosqueda, Ripon |
Coach of the Year |
| Jackson Bergren, Monmouth |
Trey Birdsong, Illinois College |
Jim Catanzaro, Lake Forest |
| Alex Lippert, Lawrence |
Langston Metoyer, Lake Forest |
|
|
|
Team Sportsmanship Award |
| Tight End (1) |
Tight End (1) |
Knox |
| Aiden Mandell, UChicago |
Bode Rubright, Lake Forest |
|
|
|
|
| Quarterbacks (2) |
Quarterbacks (2) |
|
| Destin Chance, Illinois College |
Joshua Gasca, Lake Forest |
|
| Brayden Deem, Monmouth |
John Smith, Cornell |
|
|
|
|
| Defensive Linemen (5) |
Defensive Linemen (5) |
|
| Travis Chu, Grinnell |
Derrick Jones, Illinois College |
|
| Anthony Cikauskas, Monmouth |
Michael Kelley, Lake Forest |
|
| Tevin Baker, Monmouth |
Mar Gorbatenko, UChicago |
|
| Jaylen Johnson, Lake Forest |
Brant Baltes, Monmouth |
|
| Garrett Bearden, Illinois College |
Thomas Kaesberg, Illinois College |
|
|
|
|
| Linebackers (5) |
Linebackers (5) |
|
| Aid Cappellino, UChicago |
Michael D'Orazio, UChicago |
|
| Cam Dailey, Illinois College |
Carson Strating, Monmouth |
|
| Clay Ritschard, Ripon |
Hugh Werner, Grinnell |
|
| Christopher Croft Jr., Beloit |
Drake Stuart, Illinois College |
|
| Blake Ware, Lake Forest |
Jackson Sander, Lake Forest |
|
|
|
|
| Defensive Backs (5) |
Defensive Backs (5) |
|
| Nick Harris, Monmouth |
Trenton Brail, Lake Forest |
|
| Derek Chandler, Monmouth |
Thomas DeChesaor, Lake Forest |
|
| Jahlan Paul, Lawrence |
Stir Sakashita, UChicago |
|
| Malik Byndom, Illinois College |
Colin Finnigsmier, Knox |
|
| Gavin Thorpe, Beloit |
Henr Partridge, Chicago |
|
|
|
|
| Kicker (1) |
Kicker (1) |
|
| Walter Kilgore, UChicago |
Rafael Cervantes Jr., Beloit |
|
|
|
|
| Punter (1) |
Punter (1) |
|
| Tony Gomez, Cornell |
Cody Szelc, Monmouth |
|
|
|
|
| Return Specialist (1) |
Return Specialist (1) |
|
| A.J. Jackson, Lake Forest |
Josh Minton, UChicago |
|
|
|
|
| Special Teams (1) |
Special Teams (1) |
|
| Gavin Thorpe, Beloit |
Dominic Lewis, Lake Forest |