After a record-breaking junior season, Saint Vincent College's
Molayo Irefin (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Spalding) has been named third team All-America as a return specialist by D3football.com. He becomes Saint Vincent's first All-America selection in the football program's modern era (2007-present).
Irefin's All-America selection caps off a season in which he was also named first team All-Presidents' Athletic Conference and first team All-Region by D3football.com.
He 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 the first Saint Vincent football player to earn an All-America honor since running back Michael Scatena was named Associated Press Little All-America in 1960, and the 20th football All-American in Saint Vincent College history.
The D3football.com All-America and the AFCA All-America teams are the only ones recognized in the NCAA record book. Players are nominated by schools in November and December for the D3football.com All-Region team and are then considered for All-American.
