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NEC Offensive Player of the Week: Jarel Washington, Stonehill
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut
NEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
NEC Rookie of the Week: Charles Battaglia, Stonehill

Previous NEC Releases: September 16 | September 9 | September 2 | Preseason Poll Release | TV Package Release

NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jarel Washington, Stonehill
Running Back, Senior, 5-10, 190 lbs., White Plains, NY/Iona Prep
Week 4 Stats: 184 rushing yards, 23 rushes, 8.0 yards per rush, 2 rushing touchdowns
Washington surpassed 100 rushing yards for the first time in his career on Saturday after he ran for 184 yards on 23 carries to lead Stonehill past former conference mate Sacred Heart by a 35-21 final on Saturday. In addition, the White Plains, NY native reached the end zone twice in the first half, a stretch that saw him compile 173 yards on 19 rushes. Washington got off to a hot start in the Skyhawks’ home opener. On the first possession of the game, he put his team on the board with a 26-yard run just 2:19 after kickoff. With his team leading by a 14-7 count later in the half, the senior went off for a career-long 72-yard touchdown run push the Skyhawks’ lead back to two possessions in the second quarter. In the win, Stonehill finished with a season-high 354 yards on the ground. He enters Week 5 ranked third in the conference in rushing yards per game (86.0). This is Washington’s first-ever NEC Offensive Player of the Week award, and it is the first for a Skyhawk this season.

NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kimal Clark, Central Connecticut
Defensive Back, Junior, 5-10, 200 lbs., Lackawanna, NY/St. Francis
Week 4 Stats: 18.0 tackles (8 solo)
Clark ascended to the top of the NEC single-game rankings on Saturday after he posted a career-high18 tackles in Central Connecticut’s hard-fought 35-31 defeat at FBS opponent UMass. Racking up eight solo stops, the junior defensive back delivered 10 of his tackles in the first half to help the Blue Devils claw back from a 14-0 deficit and force a 21-21 deadlock at the break. Just one other player in the FCS has registered more tackles in a contest this season, as Northwestern linebacker Blake Gotcher set the nation’s single-game standard with 23 against Prairie View. On the season, Clark, an All-NEC Preseason team selection, is the league’s leader in total tackles (46 and solo tackles (22), while his 11.5 tackles per game rank fourth in the FCS. He is the third Blue Devil to garner Defensive Player of the Week distinction from the NEC in as many weeks, joining fellow teammates Malachi Wright (Sept. 9) and Jalen Howard (Sept. 16).

NEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
Kicker, Junior, 6-2, 200 lbs., Southington, CT/Southington
Week 4 Stats: 1-1 FGs (25 yards), 4-4 PATs, 283 kickoff yards (5 kickoffs), 56.0 yards per kickoff, 1 TB
Previously taking home NEC Special Teams Player of the Week distinction following a stellar season-opening performance against Central Michigan last month, Barnes becomes the NEC’s first repeat weekly award winner of 2024 after he tallied seven points in Central Connecticut’s four-point defeat at FBS opponent UMass on Saturday. A local product from Southington, CT, Barnum, who converted on all four of his PATs, kicked a 25-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to give his team a 31-28 advantage heading into the final stretch. The 6-foot-2 junior also assumed kickoff duties for Central Connecticut, averaging 56.0 yards per boot and 283 total kickoff yards with one touchback in five attempts. In addition, Barnum played a key part in helping his team take a 28-21 advantage with 10:12 left in the third. Executing a perfect on-side kick to open the stanza, he recovered the ball at the Central Connecticut 48-yard line, which led Paul Marsh, Jr. capping the ensuing eight-play, 52-yard drive with the go-ahead score less than five minutes later. The Blue Devils have dominated the NEC Special Teams Player of the Week award this season, claiming three of four. Senior punter Aidan Clark was recognized as the league’s top special teams player last week on Sept. 16. 

NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Charles Battaglia, Stonehill
Linebacker, Sophomore, 6-1, 225 lbs., Massapequa, NY/Chaminade
Week 4 Stats: 7.0 tackles (6 solo), 1.0 tackles-for-loss (2 yards)
Battaglia delivered a solid performance for a Stonehill defense that limited Sacred Heart to 143 passing yards on Saturday in the Skyhawks’ home opener, a 35-21 triumph over their former conference mate. The linebacker from Massapequa, NY delivered a career-high seven tackles — including six solo stops — and added 1.0 tackle-for-loss in the victory. With 15.0 total tackles, Battaglia ranks second amongst fellow Seahawks behind Matthew DeVirgilio’s 19.0. This is his first career NEC Rookie of the Week award, and the first for a Stonehill first-year player since Nigel Henderson earned the distinction on Sept. 18, 2023.
 

#NECFB PRIME PERFORMERS (Week 4)

Kimal Clark, CCSU (DB, Jr.)
Clark recorded the most tackles by an NEC defender this season — and the second-most by an FCS player — when he delivered 18 in Central Connecticut’s hard-fought 35-31 defeat at FBS opponent UMass on Saturday. He had 10 stops in the first half to help the Blue Devils tie up the game at 21-all at the break. Clark also received NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Brady Olson, CCSU (QB, Jr.)
Tying up the game at 21-all before halftime , Olson gave Central Connecticut a seven-point lead early in the third quarter with his second touchdown throw of the game at FBS opponent UMass on Saturday. The junior completed 12-of-20 passes for 157 total yards.
 
Malachi Wright, CCSU (LB, Jr.)
Wright contributed to a Central Connecticut defense that had 88 tackles after posting 12 in the Blue Devils’ four-point defeat at UMass on Saturday. The junior linebacker had six solo and six assisted stops in his career-best outing.
 
Jordan Heisey, DUQ (QB, Sr.)
Heisey made the most of his first career start at QB on Saturday against West Virginia Wesleyan. Completing 17-of-23 passes for 161 yards and a trio of touchdowns, the senior piloted Duquesne to its second-straight win by way of a 35-0 shutout.
 
Elijah St. John, LIU (DT, So.)
St. John, a sophomore defensive tackle, compiled double digits in tackles for the first time in his career when he posted 10 in LIU’s 28-21 defeat to Rhode Island on Saturday. With the game tied at 7-7 in the second quarter, the Canadian had a key strip sack that was recovered by teammate Liam McCormick and resulted in a Luca Stanzani touchdown rush on the ensuing drive.
 
Luca Stanzani, LIU (QB, R-So.)
Throwing for 176 yards on a 16-of-27 effort, Stanzani bookended a rushing score with a pair of touchdown throws in LIU’s 28-21 defeat to Rhode Island on Saturday. Opening the Sharks’ scoring with a 28-yard pass before putting LIU ahead at halftime on a seven-yard touchdown run, the redshirt sophomore gave his team a 21-14 advantage with 9:13 to go in the fourth on a 42-yard touchdown pass to senior Michael Love.
 
Adam Urena, MU (QB, Sr.)
Against stiff competition at No. 3 Montana State, Urena registered his fourth 200-plus passing yard outing in as many games on Saturday after he threw for 213 yards, zero interceptions and a touchdown. The senior leads the NEC in passing touchdowns (9), total passing yards (917), passing yards per game (229.3) and completions (99).
 
Tyvon Edmonds, Jr., RMU (RB, Sr.)
Edmonds came just one yard shy of making it back-to-back 100-rushing yards games, but his two touchdown runs helped lead Robert Morris past Wagner by a 21-14 final in the Colonials’ first NEC game since 2019. The league’s top rusher at 385 total yards and 96.3 per game knotted up the contest at 7-7 with a two-yard trot in the opening quarter before he put Robert Morris in front for good with a one-yard scamper at the 12:08 mark of the third.
 
Noah Robinson, RMU (WR, R-So.)
Robinson hauled in four catches for 90 yards to help lead Robert Morris to a 21-14 road win at Wagner on Saturday afternoon. His 59-yard reception from redshirt junior Anthony Chiccitt on a 2nd-and-18 landed the Colonials at the Seahawks’ one-yard line and set up the go-ahead touchdown run from senior Tyvon Edmonds, Jr.
 
Jarel Washington, STO (RB, Sr.)
Washington, a senior, led a stout Skyhawks’ rushing attack with a career-best 184 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in Saturday’s 35-21 victory over Sacred Heart. Capping the opening possession with a 26-yard score 2:19 into the contest, he answered the Pioneers’ first score of the game with a 72-yard touchdown run. Washington also took home NEC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Zavion Woodard, STO (RB, Jr.)
Woodard was one of two Skyhawks to rack up 100 yards on the ground in Saturday’s 35-21 win over former conference mate Sacred Heart. The junior running back compiled a career-high 110 yards on 19 carries, including a back-breaking 31-yard touchdown run that clinched the win with 38 seconds left.
 
Justin Reilly, WC (DB, Gr.)
Registering 1.5 tackles-for-loss, Reilly reached double figures in tackles for the first time this season in Wagner’s single-possession defeat to Robert Morris on Saturday. The veteran defensive back led all players in the category with 10 on the afternoon.

 
AROUND THE NEC IN 8 SENTENCES

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT quarterbacks have not been sacked in each of the Blue Devils’ past three games. 

DUQUESNE head coach Jerry Schmitt, who has led the Dukes to 17-straight home-opening victories, registered the 150th win of his career against West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday.

LIU’s three setbacks to FCS opponents — then-ranked #16 UAlbany, Lehigh and Rhode Island — have been decided by a single possesssion.

MERCYHURST quarterback Adam Urena, who has thrown nine touchdowns and just one interception, is tied for sixth in the nation in touchdown passes.

ROBERT MORRIS, which has averaged 38.0 points per game in its past two wins, leads the league with 16 touchdowns and 27.8 points per game.

SAINT FRANCIS U has held each of its four opponents to 124 rushing yards and is conceding a league-leading 89.3 yards per game on the ground.  
 
STONEHILL had two players rush for 100-plus yards in the same game since transititioning to Division I for the 2022 season on Saturday against Sacred Heart (Jarel Washington - 184 yards & Zavion Woodard - 110 yards).

WAGNER’s defense is conceding just 21.0 points per game — the program’s fewest since allowing 18.00 in 2014 — to lead the conference. 

 
2024 NEC FOOTBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2: Ludovick Choquette (LIU) 
Sept. 9: Jeff Hoenstine (Saint Francis U)
Sept. 16: JaMario Clements (Duquesne)
Sept. 23: Jarel Washington (Stonehill)
Sept. 30: 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2: Tyris Harvey (Robert Morris) & Paul Tangelo (Saint Francis U)
Sept. 9: Malachi Wright (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 16: Jalen Howard (Central Connecticut) & Luke Miller (Duquesne)
Sept. 23: Kimal Clark (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 30: 

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2: Jack Barnum (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 9: Mac Plummer (Saint Francis U)
Sept. 16: Aidan Clark (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 23: Jack Barnum (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 30: 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sept. 2: Taveon Wheeler (LIU)
Sept. 9: Jeff Hoenstine (Saint Francis U)
Sept. 16: Luke Miller (Duquesne)
Sept. 23: Charles Battaglia (Stonehill)
Sept. 30: