Offensive guard Justin Fairfield headlines a group of four Hope College football players who have been chosen D3football.com all-region honorees for the 2016 season.
The junior from North Muskegon, Michigan (North Muskegon) made the All-North Region Second Team.
Fairfield is joined by three teammates who were selected third-team all-region: junior running back Brandan Campbell of Otsego, Michigan (Otsego), senior center Michael Stephan of Belding, Michigan (Belding), and senior linebacker Aaron O’Meara of Wyandotte, Michigan (Theodore Roosevelt).
Four all-region honorees is a record-high for the Flying Dutchmen.
The teams, selected in balloting by North Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 211 nominations by Division III member schools from their sports information directors.
Players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for D3football.com All-America honors, which will be announced the evening of Dec. 16, in D3football.com’s pregame coverage for Stagg Bowl XLIV.
Fairfield and Stephan anchored an offensive line that rushed for a school-record 2,738 yards over 10 games as Hope posted the greatest single-season turnaround with a 7-3 overall record.
They paved the way for two 1,000-yard rushers in Campbell and junior Mike Miklusicak of Wayland, Michigan (Wayland) - a first in a single-season at Hope.
Campbell ran for 1,361 yards and 14 touchdowns on 200 carries. He is second all-time for the Flying Dutchmen in rushing average at 6.8 yards per carry, fourth in total rushing yards and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns.
O’Meara anchored the MIAA”s top scoring defense at 16.3 points per game allowed. He made a team-high 93 tackles, including 12 for loss and 5 ½ sacks.
All four players were among Hope’s six All-MIAA First Team honorees this season.