The Monmouth College football team tied a program record with five players on the D3football.com All-Region team announced on Wednesday. Senior wide receiver Nate Thornton (Peoria, Illinois) and senior defensive end Tevin Baker (Kewanee, Illinois) made the 2nd Team while senior defensive tackle, Brant Baltes (Lisbon, Iowa), senior defensive back Nick Harris (Winter Haven, Florida) and senior offensive lineman Colby McMillan (Spring Hill, Florida) were all 3rd Team selections.
This is the third time the Scots have put five on the D3football.com All-Region team, tying a record set in 2009 and matched in 2022. The Scots tied Lake Forest for the lead among Midwest Conference teams with five individuals selected to the All-Region 5 team. Thornton and Harris were both selected All-Region in 2022 while the others are first-time selections. The stats for All-Region consideration do not include the Lakefront Bowl or any post-season games. All players were nominated by their school’s SID and the selections were made by sports information directors in each region and D3football.com staff.
SECOND TEAM
Thornton is a three-time MWC first-team selection with 60 catches for 972 yards and a single-season record 19 touchdowns. He posted three 100+ yard games on the season, scored in nine of the 10 games and had at least four receptions in all 10 games. He ranks seventh on the single-season receptions list, sixth on the yardage list, first in receiving touchdowns and second in points. He was a 2nd Team All-Region selection in 2022.
Baker was the MWC MVP and a repeat 2st Team selection. He led the MWC with seven sacks and ranks second with 16 TFL and 11 pass break ups. His PBU total ranks third in Monmouth history for a single season and his TFL ranks top 20.
THIRD TEAM
Baltes was a MWC 2nd Team selection after returning from injury that cost him the 2023 campaign. He led the Scots in tackles as a defensive tackle with 63 total tackles, 41 solo. He also posted 12.5 TFL, three sacks and blocked a kick. Baltes was 12th in the MWC in tackles, ninth in solo tackles and fifth in TFL.
Harris was the MWC Defensive Skills MVP and finished third on the Scots with 53 tackles and added 3.5 TFL and one sack. Harris had two interceptions on the season, two forced fumbles and four PBU. He set a career high with 17 tackles against Lake Forest on Nov. 9. Harris was a 3rd-team All-Region selection in 2022.
McMillan was a MWC 1st Team selection this year while playing multiple positions on the offensive line. The Scots offensive line allowed just six sacks all season while helping the offense to average 456.6 yards per game.
Monmouth had two All-Region selections last season, five in 2022 and four in 2021. The team has posted at least two All-Region selections from D3football.com in every non-COVID season since 2016 and at least one selection dating back to 2007.
***Courtesy of Nathan Baliva, Monmouth College***
