ST. PAUL, Minn. – University of Northwestern junior Damon Clapper (Dallas Center, Iowa/Dallas Center - Grimes) earned his way to the 2020-21 D3football.com All-Region team, the organization announced on Monday. Clapper was named to the team as a linebacker on the Second Team Defense.
 
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Clapper was a force on defense for Northwestern this season. Competing in both games the Eagles played this year, the junior had two interceptions, a sack, a tackle for loss, 13.0 total tackles, a rushing touchdown on offense, and a blocked a kick on special teams.

The junior exploded in the second and final game of the season for the Eagles, providing crucial plays in clutch situations in all three phases of the game to secure the win for UNW. Clapper had six tackles, two interceptions, blocked an extra point attempt, and scored a rushing touchdown on offense to lead the Eagles to a 27-23 victory over the University of Minnesota Morris. The linebacker entered the game on offense in the final seconds of the opening half and rushed in a 3-yard touchdown to give UNW a 24-10 lead. The Cougars clawed back in and scored to make it 24-23, but on the ensuing extra-point attempt Clapper broke through the UMM protection to block the kick to preserve the 1-point UNW lead. Leading by just one late in the fourth, Clapper picked off the Cougars deep in their territory to set up a field goal to make it a four-point lead, and then intercepted the Cougars again in their next and final drive to ice the game for the Eagles.
 
Clapper's incredible performance against UMM earned him a spot as the cover athlete for the D3football.com Team of the Week. Additionally, the junior was named the national Football Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week by the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) as well as the conference Defensive Player of the Week for the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC).
 
Though the Eagles only played two games this spring due to Covid-19, Clapper's tremendous impact on the field in the time he had was monumental and projects for great things to come in the fall for his senior season.