For the second consecutive season, four Liberty League football players have been recognized by D3Football.com with All-America honors. Two conference institutions were represented among the honorees, with three from Ithaca College (2023 Liberty League Champions) and one from Union College.
A pair of Bomber defensive stalwarts in senior safety Derek Slywka and senior linebacker Ben Stola headlined the list of Liberty League honorees with both earning first team accolades. Union’s Matt McCorkle, a junior offensive lineman, was selected to the second team and Ithaca senior running back Jalen Leonard-Osbourne earned a spot on the fourth team.
D3football.com All-America First Team
Derek Slywka –Ithaca
Slywka, an All-Liberty League First Team honoree was a starter in all 12 games for the Bombers this season. Slywka recorded 51 total tackles, good for fourth on the team. He paced the squad with six interceptions, tying for first among league leaders, and 10 pass breakups. His pass breakups rank second all-time on the program’s single season list. He also had two tackles for loss, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, and blocked two kicks. Slywka forced a turnover in six straight games this season. He was also named to the AFCA All-America second team.
Ben Stola – Ithaca
A defensive starter in all 12 games for the Bombers, Stola, the 2023 Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year, topped the team and league in total tackles (118), tackles per game (9.8) and tackles for loss (12.0). He finished the year 30th in Division III in tackles per game. In league play, he registered 59 total tackles, averaging 9.8 per game. He also recorded two sacks this season, both of which occurred against league opponents. Stola posted a season-high 17 tackles on two occasions this season, against Hobart and in the regular season finale against Cortland.
D3football.com All-America Second Team
Matt McCorkle – Union
McCorkle, an All-Liberty League First Team selection, has started every game for the Garnet Chargers since joining the team in Fall 2021. This season, he allowed only one individual sack in 12 games at left tackle while spearheading an offensive line that allowed less than one sack per game. As a team, Union closed out the 2023 campaign ranked 13th in Division III in rushing yards per game (235.0) and the Garnet Chargers averaged 430.9 offensive yards per game. The offensive line also helped Union produce a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in the same season for the first time in program history. McCorkle was also named to the AFCA All-America second team.
D3football.com All-America Fourth Team
Jalen Leonard-Osbourne – Ithaca
Leonard-Osbourne, the 2023 Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year, played in all 12 games for the Bombers this season. He totaled 1,055 rushing yards, good for second in the Liberty League and 11 rushing touchdowns, also second in the conference. He averaged 87.9 yards per game and 5.2 yards per play (171 attempts). He also recorded 42 catches for 401 yards (33.4 per game) and three touchdowns receiving. Leonard-Osbourne closed out the 2023 season third among league leaders in scoring with 84 points (14 touchdowns).