Denison puts program-record five players on 2022 D3football.com All-Region teams

GRANVILLE, Ohio (December 7, 2022) – After putting four players on the all-region teams during each of the last two full seasons, the Denison University football team set a program-record with five players named to the D3football.com All-Region 4 Team in 2022. Junior running back Trey Fabrocini, senior left tackle Kevin Stone, sophomore return specialist Jaylin Epps and senior defensive end Clay Denstorff were each named second-team all-region while junior corner back Roshaune Downie earned his spot on the third-team.

Fabrocini set a new Denison single-season record with 20 rushing touchdowns and finished with the fifth most rushing yards in a season in program history with 1,303 yards. On a total of 233 rushing attempts, Fabrocini averaged 5.6 yards per rush and 130.3 rushing yards per game. In addition, he added 23 receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns, giving him a combined 22 touchdowns on the season. Fabrocini ranked second in all of NCAA Division III in rushing touchdowns, and was third in rushing attempts, sixth in total rushing yards, eighth in rushing yards per game and 49th in yards per carry. He was also second in total touchdowns (22) and total points scored (132), fourth in points per game (13.2), 12th in all-purpose yards (1,490) and 16th in all-purpose yards per game (149.0) in the country. In the NCAC, Fabrocini ranked first in rushing touchdowns, total rushing yards, rushing yards per game, rushing attempts, total points, points per game and total touchdowns, and was second in all-purpose yards and all-purpose yards per game.

Helping to lead the way for Fabrocini’s record-breaking season was Stone, who earned his second straight second-team all-region honor after starting in all 10 games at left tackle for the Big Red and grading out at 97/100 this season. He helped pave the way for Denison to rush for 2,338 yards and 23 touchdowns, including a program-record 20 rushing touchdowns from Fabrocini.

Epps returned 14 punts for 319 yards this season and had four punt returns for a career-high 181 yards and two touchdowns against Oberlin on September 17. He also had 16 kickoff returns for 416 yards this season, and set a new career-high with 167 kickoff return yards on six attempts during Denison’s season opener against Capital (Sept. 3). Epps was one of seven players in all of NCAA Division III this season with two or more punts returned for a touchdown, and was first in punt return average (22.8). He also ranked sixth in the country in total punt return yards, was ninth in combined kick return yards (735), and was tied for 26th in kickoff return average (26.0). In the NCAC, he was the only player with a punt returned for a touchdown and was first in the league in both punt return yards and kickoff return yards.

Denstorff started all 10 games and led the Big Red with 16.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks and four forced fumbles. He also ranked fifth on the team with 49 total tackles. In addition to trying for fourth in all of NCAA Division III in forced fumbles and trying for 30th in the country in tackles for loss, Denstorff led the NCAC in sacks and forced fumbles, and was second in tackles for loss.

Downie started in all nine games he played in this season, led the Big Red with four interceptions and 18 pass breakups, and added 31 total tackles. Downie led the NCAC in interceptions, pass breakups and total passed defended (22), and was the only player in the conference to average over two passes defended per game. He was also ranked second in all of NCAA Division III in pass breakups, total passes defended and passed defended per game, and was tied for 39th in interceptions per game (0.4).

It was the 18th year D3football.com has announced all-region teams. NCAA Division III realigned Division III football into six regions in 2021. Region 4 includes the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the North Coast Athletic Conference and the Ohio Athletic Conference. The teams, selected in balloting by Region 4 sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 159 nominations by full Division III member schools. A total of 75 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 December 16, in D3football.com’s pregame coverage for Stagg Bowl XLIX.

2022 D3football.com All-Region 4 Teams