Three Olivet College football players earn D3football.com All-North Region honors

Three Olivet College football players have been named to the 2008 D3football.com All-North Region Teams and are now eligible for D3football.com All-American honors. Junior punter Ryan Patten (Charlotte) is a first-team selection, while senior defensive back Michael Terranova (Lansing/Lansing Catholic) and junior linebacker Hakeem Yakubu (Kalamazoo/Central) are third-team selections.

Patten punted the ball 45 times for a 43.5 average, which was second in the NCAA Division III rankings. His longest punt was 65 yards, 15 punts went more than 50 yards and 15 landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Terranova collected 33 solo and 33 assisted stops for 66 total tackles, which was second on the team and first in the Comet secondary. He intercepted two passes and broke-up six passes. Yakubu topped the Olivet defense with 75 total tackles, including 47 solo stops. He also had 13.5 tackles for loss, including eight quarterback sacks for 46 yards.

Patten and Terranova are repeat selections to the D3football.com teams. Both were named to the 2008 preseason All-American second-team. Patten earned 2007 third-team All-North Region and honorable mention All-American honors, while Terranova was a 2007 first-team All-North Region and third-team All-American selection.

The teams, selected in balloting by North Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 176 nominations by Division III member schools. A total of 75 players were chosen. Olivet received more selections than any other Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association school.