All five College of Wooster football players who were eligible for the D3football.com All-Region 4 ballot made this year's team, which was announced by the popular website dedicated to covering NCAA Div. III football on Wednesday. Senior tight end Cole Hissong was elevated to the first team, junior placekicker Lake Barrett and junior punter Matt Pardi were voted to the second team, and senior defensive back Beau Greenwood and sophomore return specialist Carter Warstler were third-team picks.
Hissong, a 2019 second-team D3football.com all-region selection and two-time D3football.com Preseason All-American, is one of the top tight ends in Div. III. The local product earned his second straight first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference honor this fall, and was one of just four repeat first-teamers on this year's squad. Hissong emerged as a regular on D3football.com's Team of the Week this fall, earning the honor three times. He broke the program record for career receiving touchdowns by a tight end with No. 14 against Allegheny College, and added his 15th career one later that day. Hissong ranked second in the NCAC with nine touchdowns and third with 53 receptions. He was tops among tight ends league-wide in receptions, yards (760), and touchdowns, while also leading the team in all three categories. Hissong surpassed 100 yards receiving three times this fall.
Barrett, a College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District® selection, earned his second All-NCAC honor this fall. He became the first placekicker in program history to make over 40 extra-point tries in a season without a miss, finishing the year 47-for-47. On field goals, Barrett knocked 8-of-10 through the uprights, with a long of 42 yards. His 71 points this fall are the second-most among placekickers in program history. Barrett logged his second career 15-point game against Hiram College, going 3-for-3 on field goals and 6-for-6 on extra points. Barrett's now No. 1 in program history in career extra-point percentage (98.6; 73-for-74) and first in career field-goal percentage (79.2; 19-for-24).
Pardi, a second-team All-NCAC performer, ranked among Div. III's elite punters this fall. His 42.9 yards per boot marked the first time a Scot finished with over 40 yards per attempt with at least 20 tries since Dana Obery averaged 40.5 yards in 2010. Pardi's average ranked higher than Myndret Busack's 1948 school record of 42.2 yards per punt, but due to Wooster's high efficiency on offense, he did not meet the required minimum punts for the program's single-season leaderboard. The same held true for the NCAA Div. III leaderboard, where Pardi's average is higher than this year's Div. III national leader. He was named to D3football.com's Team of the Week following Wooster's 44-41 win at Wabash College, where he averaged a school-record 55.5 yards per punt.
Greenwood, who was elevated to the all-conference second team, capped his career with three All-NCAC certificates. The five-year staple in Wooster's defensive backfield ranked second on the team with 60 tackles this fall. He added an interception, forced fumble, fumble recovery, and five breakups to his line. The communication studies major logged a career-high 18 tackles in Wooster's win at Wabash and had four other games with at least six tackles.
Warstler, one of just nine players in Div. III to have both a kickoff and punt return for a touchdown during the regular season, set the program record with 34.9 yards per kickoff return. Warstler sprung free for a 75-yard punt return touchdown at Oberlin College and followed that up with a school-record 98-yard kickoff return touchdown in the Wabash win. He is the first Scot since at least 1970 to have a kickoff and punt return touchdown in the same season.
Of note, Wooster's five selections marked the most for the program in the 17 years D3football.com has sponsored all-region awards. Wooster's previous high was three in 2006, 2009, and 2013.
D3football.com solicits nominations for athletic communication staffs. To be eligible, nominees must be a first- or second-team all-conference selection.