Senior defensive tackle Devonte O’Malley (Midlothian, Ill./Bremen HS) received honorable mention All-America honors and led a contingent of 12 Northern Illinois University Huskies named to Phil Steele’s 2024 All Mid-American Conference team announced this week.  In addition to O’Malley, offensive lineman J.J. Lippe (Milwaukee, Wis./Whitefish Bay HS), safety Nate Valcarcel (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall HS) and long snapper Isaac Hatfield (Georgetown, Ind./Floyd Central HS) were named first team All-MAC by Phil Steele.

O’Malley led NIU with a career best 11.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks and made a career high 39 tackles on a Huskie defense that ranked in the Top 20 in the country in 2024. He finished his NIU career with 22.5 sacks to rank sixth on the Huskie all-time chart.

O’Malley and Valcarcel were lynchpins of the only defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision which did not allow a 100-yard rusher during the 2024 season and ranked among the top five teams in the nation in third down conversion percentage defense. Valcarcel, who was named first team All-MAC by league coaches as well, finished the year with 52 tackles and a team-leading three interceptions after picking off a pass in the Huskies’ overtime win over Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Lippe, who also was a first team All-MAC selection by league coaches, was one of three Huskie offensive linemen on Phil Steele’s All-MAC team as senior offensive guard John Champe (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East HS) earned second team honors and senior center Logan Zschernitz (Spencer, Wis./Spencer HS) was named to the third team. The Huskies led the MAC and ranked among the Top 20 teams in the country in rushing offense.

Running back Antario Brown (Savannah, Ga./Beach HS), who suffered a season-ending injury early in the Western Michigan game on November 6 and finished his senior season with 567 yards on 115 carries in eight games, collected fourth team All-MAC honors from Phil Steele.

Defensively, O’Malley and Valcarcel were joined on Steele’s All-MAC team by defensive linemen Skyler Gill-Howard (Milwaukee, Wis./Greenfield HS) and Roy Williams (Crestwood, Ill./Alan B. Shepard HS) cornerback JaVaughn Byrd (Milwaukee, Wis./Rufus King HS) and linebacker Jaden Dolphin (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West HS). A second team selection, Gill-Howard led all defensive linemen in 2024 with 51 stops from his tackle position and added eight tackles for loss and five sacks. Williams, a junior defensive end who was named to the third team, was second on the team with 6.5 quarterback sacks and made 38 tackles.

Byrd, who matched up with the opponents’ top receiver throughout the season, made 41 stops, 27 solo, while starting every game and joined Williams on the third team.  Dolphin finished the year with 60 tackles and 212 career stops to earn fourth team recognition.

A senior, Hatfield handled snaps on 41 punts and 58 placekicks throughout the season and scored on a two-point conversion play at Bowling Green.

Sophomore kickoff returner Cam Thompson (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman HS) picked up third team All-MAC honors from Phil Steele. He averaged 28.3 yards on 10 kickoff returns on the season, including a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown versus Western Michigan.

NIU finished the 2024 campaign with a 8-5 record, including the 28-20 double overtime bowl win on December 23. The Huskies won four of their last five games as Thomas Hammock became the first NIU head coach to lead his team to two bowl wins.

NIU’s 2024 Phil Steele All-MAC Selections

First Team

OG – J.J. Lippe

DT – Devonte O’Malley

S – Nate Valcarcel

LS – Isaac Hatfield

Second Team

OG – John Champe

DT – Skyler Gill-Howard

Third Team

C – Logan Zschernitz

DE – Roy Williams

CB – JaVaughn Byrd

KR – Cam Thompson

Fourth Team

RB – Antario Brown

LB – Jaden Dolphin