Nikolena Samac

Semptimphelter, Behrman Headline All-Region Awards for JCU Football

12/10/2025 12:00:00 PM | By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

Nick Semptimphelter is JCU's first D3football.com Region 4 Player of the Year while Jeff Behrman is the Region's Coach of the Year

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – A historic season has brought in historic hardware to John Carroll Football.

Days after the Blue Streaks upended #2 Mount Union in an unforgettable 10-7 double overtime win in Alliance, John Carroll has brought in bigtime accolades from D3football.com.

Chief amongst the honors is Nick Semptimphelter atop the All-Region 4 Team as the Offensive Player of the Year. Semptimphelter stands as JCU's first player to be honored as a regional offensive player of the year by D3football.com since the awards were established in 2005. Mason McKenrick became the first defensive player of the year for the program in 2016.

Jeff Behrman '95 is also the recipient of a high honor, as the third-year head coach has been heralded as the Region 4 Coach of the Year. Behrman is JCU's third coach of the year winner, as Tom Arth won the award in both 2013 and 2016.

Joining Semptimphelter on the First Team All-Region are wideout Tyren Montgomery and defensive tackle Tommy Wasinski. Repping JCU on the Third Team are linebacker Chris Golson, running back Nemo Jenkins, and left tackle Grant Myers.

To start with Nick Semptimpheter, the Tennessean has been the heart of the offense. The graduate student leads all of the NCAA with a remarkable completion percentage of 79.3%. Beyond that, the leader of the unit has thrown for 3,060 passing yards and 31 touchdowns against just 3 interceptions. The second-year starter guides one of the most efficient passing attacks in the nation and has guided the Blue Streaks to huge victories over DePauw and Mount Union en route to the program's fourth-ever NCAA Quarterfinal appearance.

A newly minted AFCA Second Team All-American, Tyren Montgomery is in the midst of the greatest statistical season that JCU Football fans have ever witnessed. The graduate student has set new standards for both receptions (100) and receiving yards (1,266). His 100 catches are especially impressive, as that's 31 better than the previous mark set by Frank Ross. Montgomery is tied for second in the program recordbooks for touchdowns with 14, just three behind his previous record set a year ago. Montgomery also earned First Team All-Region honors last year.

When you look for a "Why Division III story," you look at Tommy Wasinski. The Saint Ignatius grad wasn't heavily recruited out of high school but chose JCU for its Jesuit mission, and has lived it out every day since. The star defensive tackle has blossomed as a team captain this year, guiding a remarkable defense that held Mount Union to just 7 points at home for the first time since 1986. Stats don't do him justice, but Wasinski has notched 24 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, a sack, two pass breakups, and 3 quarterback hurries, plus last Saturday's blocked kick.

Another critical member of the defense is Chris Golson. The fifth year returned this season after a preseason injury caused him to miss the entirety of the 2024 season. Golson returned better than ever to captain a talented defense. The linebacker has served as an important leader and playmaker in both the pass and running games. The Streetsboro native is tied for fourth on the team with 36 tackles while leading the way with 8 tackles for loss. The veteran has added 2 sacks plus a crucial forced fumble in the red zone vs. the Purple Raiders on Saturday.

Nemo Jenkins is half of the three-headed monster in the running back room. The Florida native topped not only the team but also the NCAC in rushing this past regular season, now up to 754 yards on the campaign. The senior has notched 7 rushing touchdowns, but his yards per carry is perhaps the most impressive. The 6'0" bruising back has a 7.3 yards per attempt, which would be a record if the season ended today. Jenkins has been fun to watch this year.

Grant Myers joins him on the team and for good reason. While the senior's season is done due to injury, the Youngstown native is a big reason the Blue Streaks are here. An anchor at left tackle, the veteran has been the soul of the offensive line this year. Myers has paved the way for a crushing rushing attack averaging 5.3 yards per game and 187.1 yards per game. And in the passing game, Myers was absolutely critical in keeping Semptimphelter clean to guide the efficient offense. A diligent leader, Myers' contributions to the team have been invaluable. Players were nominated for these awards by the Sports Information Directors at the various schools, and schools and conferences were contacted multiple times as the season wound down to remind them to make their players eligible. In total, 1,062 players were nominated.

Jeff Behrman's coaching staff has been incredible all season long. Offensive Coordinator Travis James and Defensive Coordinator Dean Paul have done a phenomenal job this season, as JCU ranks in the top 10 in a number of statistical metrics. But more importantly, the Blue Streaks have been a disciplined bunch and played very well in important moments. As Behrman would tell you, it takes a talented bunch of coaches to win and this is a staff award, not an individual honor. Each member of the coaching staff has been invaluable in guiding the team and helping the Blue Streaks develop over the course of the campaign.

All-Region teams are selected in balloting by sports information directors in each region and D3football.com staff. All players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for the D3football.com All-America Team. The 2025 D3football.com All-America team will be announced Monday, Dec. 22.

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