MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. – Five Baldwin Wallace University football players have been selected to the D3football.com All-Region 4 Team.
Senior defensive All-Ohio Athletic Conference defensive lineman Sekou Imani (Dover), senior All-OAC running back Jon Murray, Jr. (Cincinnati/Withrow), senior All-OAC linebacker Nick Pankow (Medina), senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC offensive lineman Patrick Simon (Olmsted Falls) and senior All-OAC defensive back Iyan Mitchell (Tampa, Fla./Robinson) were five of 23 OAC players selected to the first or second team.
The quintette now advances to the D3football.com All-American team ballot which will be announced on Friday, December 17 prior to the playing of the Stagg Bowl XLVIII.
Imani, who garners his first career All-Region accolade, was named to the first-team. He led the team and was second in the Ohio Athletic Conference with a career-best 11.5 sacks. Imani led the squad and was third in the league in tackles for loss with a career-high 15. He also recorded 25 tackles, forced a career-best three fumbles, recovered two fumbles, tallied first career interception, and had one pass break-up. For his career, Imani played in 32 games and recorded 111 tackles, 37.5 tackles for loss, 22.5 sacks, forced and recovered five fumbles, had four pass breakups, two blocked kicks and one interception. He is a two-time All-OAC performer, two-time OAC Defensive Player of the Week selection, two-time Dick Miller Defensive Player of the Game Award winner and the 43rd Lee Tressel Shrine Classic Player of the Game Award recipient.
Murray, Jr., who earns his first All-Region honor, was named to the first-team. He led the team, the Ohio Athletic Conference and was tied for 10th in NCAA Division III in touchdowns with a career-best 17. Murray, Jr. also led the squad and was second in the league with a career-best 1,111 yards. He led the team and was second in the OAC in scoring with a career-high 102 points. For his career, Murray, Jr. was a four-time All-OAC running back. He played in 32 games and rushed for a school-record 2,8715 yards on 553 carries with 35 touchdowns. Murray, Jr. caught 24 passes for 210 yards and one touchdown.
Pankow, who garners his first All-OAC accolade, was named to the first-team. He led the team and was tied for second in the Ohio Athletic Conference in tackles with a career-high 86 and was second on the team and ninth in the league with a career-best 11.5 tackles for loss. Pankow also recorded a career-high four sacks, career-best two interceptions and forced his first career fumble. For his career, Pankow was an All-OAC linebacker in 2021. He played and started in 22 games after transferring from NCAA Division II Ashland University. Pankow tallied 189 tackles, 19 tackles for a loss, six sacks, five pass breakups, two interceptions, forced one fumble and recovered one fumble. Off the field, he is a two-time Academic All-OAC performer, College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 7 selection, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar and a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma and Dayton C. Miller honoraries.
Simon, who earns his first All-Region honor, was named to the first-team. He helped anchor an offensive line that led the Ohio Athletic Conference in rushing with 239.4 yards-per-game, was fourth in the league in scoring with 32.3 points-per-contest and fifth in total offense with 368.6 yards-per game. For his career, Simon played and started in 42 games and played every position on the offensive line at one point, including every spot in one season. He helped the BW offense average 405.7 total yards per-game and 30.0 points-per-contest during his career. Simon was a three-time All-OAC lineman and the 2019 BW Dick Van Alman Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award and Ray E. Watts Most Valuable Offensive Player Award recipient. Off the field, Simon is a three-time Academic All-OAC performer, Dean's List student, Jacket Scholar and member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society.
Mitchell, who garners his first All-Region accolade, was selected to the second-team. He made an impact on offense, defense and special teams and appeared and started in all 10 games. Mitchell caught 11 passes for 117 yards with two touchdowns. He recorded a career-high 39 tackles, broke up a career-best 12 passes and had one interception. He returned 11 kickoffs for 42 yards and a career-high 17 punts for 238 yards. For his career, Mitchell was a three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference performer. He played in 24 games and caught 61 passes for 1,011 yards with nine touchdowns. Mitchell recorded 50 tackles, 12 pass breakups and had two interceptions. He returned 38 kickoffs for 771 yards and 18 punts for 289 yards. Mitchell was the 2019 BW Outstanding Receiver Award recipient and 2018 BW Offensive Scout Player of the Year Award winner.