D3football.com released its 2021 All-Region Teams on Wednesday and four Lake Forest players were listed among the best in Region 5, which includes the American Rivers Conference, the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, the Midwest Conference and the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.
Junior A.J. Jackson, a First Team All-American selection by D3football.com each of the last two years, earned First Team honors as a kick returner. In addition to averaging 25.2 yards per kickoff return, he led the nation with 27.6 yards per punt return and four punt return touchdowns, ranked fifth in the country with 805 combined kick return yards, and became the NCAA Division III record-holder with eight career punt return touchdowns. Also a standout wide receiver, Jackson finished sixth nationally 12.6 points per game and ninth with 165.6 all-purpose yards per contest.
On the defensive side of the ball Lake Forest's Dante Esposito was named to the First Team after tying for third in the nation with a school record-tying eight interceptions. The junior cornerback also had eight pass breakups and was tied-for-12th in the country in passes defended per game. Esposito picked off at least one pass in six different games and amassed 121 return yards, including 30 to the end zone in the team's 24-10 victory at Monmouth College.
Senior Anthony DerManulian was a Second Team All-Region honoree on the offensive line after helping the team average 372.1 yards and a program record 41.5 points per game in 2021. DerManulian, the team's starting right tackle for the last three seasons, was also named Midwest Conference Offensive Line MVP for his performance on the year.
Junior Danny Baker, who D3football.com selected as a Third Team All-West Region honoree in 2019 and a Second Team All-American last spring for his work on special teams, was named Third Team All-Region this year. He averaged 53.1 yards per attempt as Lake Forest's kickoff specialist, blocked a pair of punts, and downed several Forester punts deep inside opponent territory.
Lake Forest's four all-region selections are the most in program history. The Foresters were 10-1 overall, captured the MWC title with a perfect 9-0 mark in league play, and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in 19 years.
