Grand Valley State senior defensive end Christian McCarroll was nominated for the 2023 Cliff Harris Award as the small college Defensive Player of the Year. McCarroll was a key piece to one of the top defensive units in Division II football during the 2023 season that ranked among the leaders in nearly every statistical category. 

McCarroll led all GLIAC defensive lineman with 67 tackles (21 solo/46 assisted), while also leading the GLIAC in tackles for loss with 15.0 (-74) and ranking second in quarterback sacks with 8.0 (-56). He recorded a TFL in nine games and a QB sack in seven games, despite not playing in the second half of two games and the fourth quarter of four additional games. McCarroll was a key figure in a defense that led the nation in QB sacks with 51 and ranked seventh in TFL with 95. In addition, the Lakers ranked fourth in rushing defense (70.8 ypg), 10th in scoring defense (16.1) and 16th in total defense (274.5 ypg). For his career McCarroll tallied 151 career tackles, 15.0 QB sacks and 31.5 tackles for loss. 

Grand Valley State finished the season 11-2 overall, claimed their second consecutive GLIAC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II quarterfinal round of the playoffs. GVSU played eight games against teams that were ranked nationally at the time of the game and five games against teams that finished among the top six in the final ranking.