MINNEAPOLIS (Dec. 7) – After a record-breaking junior campaign, Saint Vincent College's Molayo Irefin has been named All-Region by D3football.com.
Irefin (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) earned First Team All-District 2 accolades as a return specialist and will now be placed on the D3Football.com All-America ballot. District 2 is comprised of teams from 44 Division III institutions in eight athletic conferences in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia
Irefin was the top return man in the Presidents' Athletic Conference during the 2022 campaign, leading the conference in both kick return average (27.2 yards) and punt return average (15.8), the latter mark a Saint Vincent program record.
Ten of Irefin's 16 kickoff returns went for 25 or more yards, highlighted by his 100-yard touchdown return in the Bearcats' victory over Waynesburg on Nov. 3. It was just the fourth kick return touchdown in the team's modern era (2007-present) and first since 2014, while it marked the longest play in Saint Vincent program history.
Irefin's 2022 season also included the longest punt return in team history, with his 85-yard touchdown in Saint Vincent's season-opener against Stevenson on Sept. 3. It was also just the fourth punt return touchdown in the team's modern era and first since 2015.
Along with his punt and kick return prowess, Irefin was also one of the top receivers in the PAC this past season. He ranked second in the league in both receptions (62) and touchdown receptions (8), while his 732 receiving yards were third-most in the league. Irefin also ran for two touchdowns on the season, with his 12 total touchdowns tying for the league lead. Irefin's 1,335 all-purpose yards ranked second in the PAC, with his average of 133.5 per game good for 12th in NCAA Division III.
Irefin was twice named PAC Special Teams Athlete of the Week (Sept. 4, Nov. 7), while he earned PAC Offensive Player of the Week laurels on Nov. 15. He was also previously named to the D3Football.com Team of the Week on Sept. 5.
He becomes just the third player in Saint Vincent program history to be named D3Football.com All-Region, joining tight end Ryan Crawford (2016) and return specialist Darius Brown (2014). Irefin is Saint Vincent's lone First Team All-Region honoree.
The D3Football.com All-Region teams, selected in balloting by Region 2 athletic communications personnel and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 220 nominations by Division III member schools. A total of 78 players were chosen as either first, second or third team honorees. Players nominated for All-Region are now eligible for D3football.com All-American honors, which will be announced the evening of Dec. 16 in D3football.com's pregame coverage for Stagg Bowl XLIX, the Division III National Championship game.