Football | 1/2/2025 2:24:49 PM
Nicholas DeForrest of Utica University, Quamel Jarvis of SUNY Morrisville and the SUNY Cortland quartet of Ryan Bitka, Zac Boyes, Nazair Jean-Lubin and Nick Lardaro of SUNY Cortland were named to the 2024
D3football.com All-America Team. DeForrest was a second team pick, while Bitka, Boyes, Jarvis, Jean-Lubin and Lardaro earned third team honors. Boyes earned D3football All-America honors for the second straight season, while the five remaining student-athletes earned their first D3football.com All-America honor.
All six student-athletes previously earned
D3football.com All-Region 2 first team honors in December. Boyes was the first person to repeat as a Offensive Player of the Year for the
D3football.com All-Region 2 team.
DeForrest, a sophomore linebacker and special teams ace from Rome, NY, enjoyed a breakout season for Utica on punt coverage, setting the Utica single season record with four blocked punts, including an emphatic punt block during the Pioneers' Homecoming tilt against Alfred University. DeForrest's block resulted in a go-ahead score late in the contest and singlehandedly gave him an Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week nod. DeForrest fell just one blocked kick short of tying two players atop the NCAA Division III rankings, ending up tied for third with his four blocks.
Bitka, a senior guard/center from Amherst, NY, led a tremendous Cortland offensive line that allowed the offense to continue its prolific prowess, at 45.8 points per game (11th nationally) and 491.6 yards (eighth nationally). The Red Dragons have recorded at least 400 yards of total offense in 10 of its 12 games this season, at least 580 yards and four times and more than 600 yards twice, including 663 yards in a win over Lycoming on Sept. 14. Bitka and the Cortland offensive line were honored as part of the D3football.com Team of the Week three times in 2024. In addition, Bitka was an All-Region selection in 2023.
Boyes, a senior quarterback from Buffalo, NY, was previously named an AFCA First Team All-American and was the Empire 8 Player of the Year for the second straight season. He completed 204-of-305 passes (66.9 percent) for 2,957 yards and 28 touchdowns, a 176.7 passing efficiency rating and only three interceptions in 12 games. He also ran 105 times for 509 yards and seven touchdowns.
Boyes completed his Cortland career with 45 games played, including starts in all 38 games over the past three seasons. He completed 657-of-957 passes (68.7 percent) for 10,028 yards and 101 touchdowns with 19 interceptions (only eight combined in 2023 and 2024) and he rushed 339 times for 1,785 yards and 20 touchdowns. He is Cortland's career leader in numerous categories, including pass completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns, 300-yard passing games (12) and rushing yards by a quarterback. He attempted 291 straight passes without an interception overlapping the 2023 and 2024 seasons, breaking his own school record of 194 straight attempts from the 2023 season. Boyes is also one of five finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy which is awarded to the best player in NCAA Division III.
Jarvis, a 2024 AFCA Second Team All-American and Associated Press Second Team All-American, started in all 11 games for the Mustangs and served a critical role in guiding Morrisville to the 2024 ECAC Robert M. "Scotty" Whitelaw Bowl title. The senior tight end caught 43 passes for 622 yards in 2024, adding five touchdown scores, averaging 56.6 yards per game and 14.5 yards per catch. Jarvis, a native of Rochester, NY, pulled in a long 74-yard scoring touchdown in the season opening win over Kean, before going on to earn D3football.com Team of the Week accolades twice on the season for his receiving performances on the field, twice for receiving yards that were over 100+ yards in the game.
Jean-Lubin, a sophomore cornerback, had six pass breakups and four interceptions for the Red Dragons in 2024. A native of Freeport, NY, Jean-Lubin was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week and earned D3football.com Team of the Week honors after intercepting two passes in Cortland’s 29-28 win at Brockport on Nov. 9 that clinched the Empire 8 Championship game. Jean-Lubin also added 18 tackles on the season.
Lardaro, a native of St. James, NY, was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Year and earned 2024 Associated Press Forst Team All-American and AFCA Second Team All-American accolades from his defensive line position. He recorded 42 tackles from his defensive line position, including 20 solo tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He recorded six tackles, including a sack, and a pass breakup in the E8 Championship clinching win at Brockport on Nov. 9 and had six tackles, with a sack, along with a key forced fumble in a win at nationally ranked Susquehanna in September.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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