2022 D3football.com All-America Team | 2022 AFCA All-America Team | 2022 Associated Press All-America Team
Eight Centennial Conference football players have been named All-Americans by D3football.com, the Associated Press (AP) and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Susquehanna's Dalton Simpson (D3football & AFCA) and Johns Hopkins' Luke Schuermann (D3football & AP) received honors from multiple organizations, while JHU's JR Woods, Nick Seidel, Ryan Stevens and Emmett Turner, Muhlenberg's James McGettigan, and Franklin & Marshall's Justin Gerhart landed on one of the All-America squads.
The AP and AFCA selected a first and second team, while D3football.com named first, second, third and fourth teams.
Simpson led the way as a first-team selection by both D3football.com and the AFCA. Schuermann was a first-team selection by D3football.com and a second team AP pick. McGettigan collected first team honors from the AFCA. Schuermann and McGettigan are both repeat All-America picks. Rounding out the D3football.com selections were Woods and Seidel on the second team and Stevens, Turner and Gerhart on the fourth team.
A graduate student offensive lineman, Simpson becomes Susquehanna's eighth all-time AFCA All-American all-time and the first since Daniel Shelton picked up the honor in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019. The Susquehanna offensive line led by Simpson was one of the best in the nation, allowing just two sacks all season. The SU offensive unit was second in the Centennial Conference in rushing yards per game with 170.4, while also ranking third in total yards per game with 425.6. Susquehanna also had the best yards per attempt average on passes in the Centennial Conference. Simpson started and played in all 11 games in 2022, and didn't miss a contest over the final three seasons in the orange and maroon. Simpson finishes his career after earning All-Centennial Conference honors in three of his four seasons at Susquehanna, being selected as a first team honoree in 2021 and 2022. Simpson helped Susquehanna to its first Centennial Conference title in program history in 2022, as the team went 10-0 in the regular season and appeared in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2010.
Schuermann, the two-time Centennial Defensive Player of the Year, is the first Johns Hopkins player to twice be named to the AP All-America Team and he has now accumulated four All-America honors in his career as he was also a first team D3football.com All-American in 2021 and 2022. The junior defensive lineman posted 70 tackles and set Johns Hopkins single-season records with 14 sacks and 26.5 tackles for losses this season; he currently ranks fourth in the nation in tackles for loss per game (2.4) and sixth in sacks per game (1.27) while his 70 tackles ranked second on the team. In two seasons, Schuermann now has 116 tackles, including 47 for losses and 25 sacks (Schuermann's freshman year (2020) was canceled due to the COVID pandemic).
The All-America nod was the second for McGettigan, who made the D3football.com All-American third team last year. McGettigan was recognized for his speed, accuracy and consistency on snaps. The Mules' snapper for punts and placement kicks in all 11 games this past year, he did not have a bad snap in four seasons in the role. McGettigan also was quick down the field in punt coverage after snapping and helped the Mules rank 19th in Division III in net punting.
Gerhart helped the Diplomats lead all Division III teams with 19 interceptions throughout the regular season. Gerhart's eight INTs were the most for a Franklin & Marshall player since the late 1980s when John Rogers (11 in 1987) and Andrew Zuch (11 in 1988) set and tied the school record in consecutive seasons. Gerhart picked off at least one pass in six of F&M's games, highlighted by a three-interception afternoon against Susquehanna where he also returned one of those for a touchdown before being named Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week and was additionally honored on the D3football.com Team of the Week. Gerhart's work against the opposing receivers also featured five pass break ups and 28 tackles (22 solo).
Stevens, who was recently named D3football.com Regional Offensive Player of the Year, was 241-of 346 (.697) for 2,649 yards with 35 touchdowns against just five interceptions this season. He also rushed for 224 yards and three touchdowns on the year. Stevens' 35 touchdown passes tied the JHU single-season record, while his 241 completions (T5th), 346 attempts (8th) and 2,649 yards (9th) also rank in the top 10 in school history. Stevens was also the Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a first team All-Centennial selection.
From his spot at right tackle, Woods helped lead an offense that averaged 43.7 points and 499.4 yards per game. For just the third time in school history, the Blue Jays rushed for more than 2,300 yards (2,375) and threw for more than 3,000 yards (3,118) in a single season. In addition, in more than 400 pass attempts on the year, the Blue Jay offensive line allowed just 15 sacks.
Turner becomes the first tight end in school history to earn All-America honors. Turner capped his career with 44 receptions for 323 yards and four touchdowns this season; the 44 receptions are the most ever by a Blue Jay tight end and he boosted his career totals to 109 receptions for 1,054 yards and seven touchdowns with his effort this season.
Seidel posted 44 tackles, a team-leading six interceptions, 5.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and four pass breakups on the year. He earned first team All-Centennial honors this season and caps his career with 225 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 13 interceptions and 10 pass breakups to his credit. His 13 interceptions are tied for sixth in school history.