MINNEAPOLIS -- Bates juniors Ryan Rozich and Michael Spencer were named to the D3football.com All-Region I team, the website announced Wednesday morning. It's the first time in the 21 years that D3football.com has handed out All-Region awards that more than one Bobcat has been honored in a single season.
Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) was named first team All-Region at linebacker. He is the first Bates player in program history to earn first team All-Region honors from D3football.com. The team captain ranked first in the NESCAC and sixth in all of NCAA Division III this year with 12.1 tackles per game. Rozich also tied for the team lead with 5.5 tackles for loss. Besides tackling, Rozich did a little bit of everything for Bates. He picked off a pass and blocked a kick at Trinity, recovered a fumble in wins over Amherst and Tufts, sacked the quarterback against Colby, and broke up a pass against Wesleyan and Hamilton. He even stepped in at long snapper when needed for the Bobcats, earning NESCAC Special Teams Player of the Week and being named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following the win over the Tufts.
This latest honor for Rozich comes on the heels of him being named to the Division II/III All-New England Team by the New England Football Writers as well as first team All-NESCAC.
Spencer (Mansfield, Texas) was named second team All-Region at safety. He recorded 50 total tackles and finished tied for second in the NESCAC with nine pass break-ups on the season. Spencer tallied a season-high 12 tackles against Trinity and picked off a pass against Wesleyan. He too was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following the Tufts victory, tallying six total tackles including five solo stops. He broke up a season-high three passes in the win over the Jumbos. Like Rozich, Spencer was also a first team All-NESCAC selection.
Rozich and Spencer join an exclusive list of Bates players to earn All-Region honors from D3football.com. Running back and team captain Ryan Lynskey '27 (Cranford, N.J.) earned second team All-Region honors last year, linebacker Tony Hooks '23 was a third team All-Region selection in 2022, linebacker Mark Upton '17 was second team All-Region in 2016, and safety Andrew Kukesh '14 is the only two-time All-Region selection in Bates history, picking up third team honors in 2013 and second team recognition in 2012.
The teams, selected in balloting by Region 1 sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 163 nominations by full Division III member schools. A total of 77 players were chosen. Players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for D3football.com All-America honors, which will be announced Monday, Dec. 22, 2025.
