Lake Forest College football players Alex Pasiewicz, Joey Valdivia, and R.J. Pompey were named All-American by D3football.com Friday night. Pasiewicz was a First Team selection at kick returner while Valdivia and Pompey earned Third Team distinction at running back and as a special teams player, respectively.
Pasiewicz, a senior wide receiver and returner, was also named First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association on Monday. He tied for the national lead with a school record three kickoff return touchdowns and two scores on punt returns this season and ranked third in the country with 997 combined kick return yards and 192.9 all-purpose yards per game. Pasiewicz ranked 10th in the nation with 29.9 yards per kickoff return and 20th with 12.9 yards per punt return. He finished his career with 10 program records, including the highest career kickoff and punt return averages.
Valdivia, a senior tailback, led the nation with 29 rushing touchdowns and 30 scores overall this season. He reached the end zone in each of the Foresters' 10 games and had at least two touchdowns and 100 rushing yards in all but one contest. Valdivia's 1,535 yards on the season are a team record and he ranked fourth in the country in rushing yards per contest and 10th in yards per carry (7.14) and all-purpose yards per game (174.6). He also owns 10 school records, despite having played just three seasons.
Pompey, a junior safety, blocked four kicks in 2016, one shy of the national lead. He also served as a blocker on punts and made five tackles on kickoff returns late in the season. In addition, Pompey was the Foresters' leading tackler on the season with 69 stops and he added a pair of interceptions and eight pass breakups.
Pasiewicz, Valdivia, and Pompey are the program's first players to be named All-American by D3football.com since David Bleitner was an honorable mention selection in 2003. Pasieicz is the only Forester to receive First Team honors in the 18th years the website has selected All-Americans.
Lake Forest finished the year on a six-game winning streak and with an overall record of 8-2. The Foresters were third in the Midwest Conference standings with a league mark of 6-2.
