ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford University football team had eight players honored by the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference on Tuesday morning when the NACC released its postseason awards for the 2024 season. Running back Jack Carey and linebacker Joey Alvarez headlined the group with their First Team All-NACC selections. Quarterback Jaelen Ray, wide receiver Da'Quan McIntosh and punter Kaden Finnestad each earned Second Team All-NACC honors, and offensive linemen Matheus Salomoni and Aramis Steward and defensive lineman Nasir Lamarre were each tabbed NACC Honorable Mention. Rockford's eight NACC postseason awards are the most in program history.

Senior running back Jack Carey was selected First Team All-NACC for the first time in his career. He had previously earned NACC Honorable Mention status back in 2022. Carey had a remarkable 2024 season to cap off an impressive career as a Regent. He averaged 4.5 yards per carry and was the NACC's leading rusher with 1,099 yards on the ground. He becomes just the fourth player in program history to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in a single season. He tallied five 100-yard rushing games, including a career-high 242-yard performance and three straight 150-yard rushing efforts to close out the season. He was rewarded for those outstanding performances during the season with both a NACC Offensive Player of the Week and D3football.com Team of the Week selection. Carey also broke the RU single-season touchdown record (18), points record (110) and had the second most all-purpose yards in a season (1,439). He finished the regular season leading the NACC in rushing yards (1,099), rushing touchdowns (13), carries (242), scoring (110), total touchdowns (18), points per game (11.0), all-purpose yards (1,439) and all-purpose yards per game (143.9). He also caught  40 passes for 283 yards and 5 touchdowns. At the national level, Carey ranks 10th in total touchdowns, 11th in total points, 14th in points per game, 16th in all-purpose yards per game, 19th in rushing yards, 21st in rushing touchdowns and 24th in rushing yards per game (109.9) among all NCAA Division III players.

Sophomore linebacker Joey Alvarez was tabbed First Team All-NACC for the 2024 season. Alvarez followed up his freshman year where his was named the NACC Freshman of the Year and Second Team All-NACC with an even more impressive sophomore season. Alvarez had double-digit tackles in eight games this season, including tying the school record with 19 tackles in a single game twice. He was also selected twice as both the NACC Defensive Player of the Week and to the D3football.com Team of the Week, becoming the first Regent to ever accomplish that feat. Alvarez led the NACC in four categories and was in the top five in another two. He led the NACC in solo tackles (71), assisted tackles (66), total tackles (137) and forced fumbles (4). He also finished fourth in the conference in tackles for loss (13.0) and fifth in sacks (5.5). At the NCAA Division III level, Alvarez leads the country in solo tackles per game (7.1) and total tackles per game (13.7) and is fourth in forced fumbles per game (0.4).

Senior quarterback Jaelen Ray was named Second Team All-NACC for the second consecutive season. Ray capped off perhaps the best career in program history with another remarkable season. He threw for over 300 yards in five games this season, including three games with more than 400 yards passing and was named the NACC Offensive Player of the Week following the first game of the season. Ray also led the NACC six categories and was in the top three in four others. He led the conference in passing yards (2,755), passing yards per game (275.5), completion percentage (66.0), completions (245), completions per game (24.5) and attempts (371). Ray finished second in passing touchdowns (23), points responsible for (184) and third in total offense per game (285.5) and points responsible for per game (18.4). Nationally, Ray ended the season ranked 5th in completions per game, 11th in passing touchdowns, 12th in passing yards per game, 21st in points responsible for, 22nd in total offense per game and 23rd in points responsible for per game among all NCAA Division III players. He ends his career holding 18 school records, including the single-game, season and career records for passing yards, passing attempts, completions, completion percentage, passing touchdowns and total offense. Statistically, Ray finishes his RU career with 12,479 passing yards, 103 passing touchdowns, a 64.4 completion percentage, 668 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Da'Quan McIntosh was voted Second Team All-NACC for the second straight season. McIntosh once again finished as the team's leading receiver despite playing in only eight games this season and leaving another early due to an injury. He posted a trio of 100-yard receiving games this year, including 7 catches for 184 yards and a school record 4 receiving touchdowns against Concordia Chicago. He ended the season second in the NACC in receiving yards per game (78.3), third in receiving yards (626), fourth in receptions per game (5.4), fifth in receptions (43) and sixth in receiving touchdowns (7). McIntosh ends his Regent career second in program history in receiving yards (2,052) and third in both receptions (135) and receiving touchdowns (18).

Sophomore punter Kaden Finnestad garnered Second Team All-NACC honors for the first time in his career. He was named NACC Honorable Mention following the 2023 season. Finnestad continues to show why he is one of the top punters in the NACC. He earned a pair of weekly awards during the season, as he was selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week and as the NACC Special Teams player of the Week. He ended the regular season leading the NACC in punting average (40.2) and punts of 50 or more yards (8) and was third in punts placed inside the 20-yard line (6). His 40.2 yards per punt is also good for the 23rd best average among all punters at the NCAA Division III level. In addition to his punting duties, Finnestad also served as the team's kicker. He tied the RU single-season record with five made field goals and connected on the second most extra points (37) in the NACC this season.

Junior defensive lineman Nasir Lamarre was named NACC Honorable Mention for the first time in his career. Lamarre had his best season in a Regent uniform this past year. He set career-highs in solo tackles (34), assisted tackles (27), total tackles (61), tackles for loss (6.5) and fumble recoveries (2) and tied his career-high in sacks (2.5). He also had a career best 11 tackles against Concordia Wisconsin and career-highs in sacks (2.0) and tackles for loss (2.0) against Beloit. At the end of the regular season, Lamarre led the NACC in fumble recoveries (2), was 11th in assisted tackles, 14th in solo tackles and 15th in total tackles. 

Junior offensive lineman Matheus Salomoni was named NACC Honorable Mention for the first time in his career. Salomoni played in and started all ten games as a member of an excellent offensive line. He blocked for both the NACC's leading rusher and leading passer this season. In addition, it was the first time that Rockford has ever had a both a running back rush for over 1,000 yards and a quarterback throw for over 2,700 yards in the same season. The offensive line combined to allow just nine sacks, the second fewest in the conference, despite Rockford attempting 20 more passes than anyone else in the NACC and 134 more pass attempts than the school that allowed the fewest sacks.

Freshman offensive lineman Aramis Steward was named NACC Honorable Mention in his first season as a Regent. Steward played in and started all ten games as a member of a stellar offensive line. He blocked for both the NACC's leading rusher and leading passer this season. In addition, it was the first time that Rockford has ever had a both a running back rush for over 1,000 yards and a quarterback throw for over 2,700 yards in the same season. The offensive line combined to allow just nine sacks, the second fewest in the conference, despite Rockford attempting 20 more passes than anyone else in the NACC and 134 more pass attempts than the school that allowed the fewest sacks.