Click HERE for PDF Release

NEC Offensive Player of the Week: Ness Davis, Duquesne
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Avery Morris, Duquesne
NEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Matt Clark, Duquesne
NEC Rookie of the Week: Zach Bonini, Central Connecticut

Previous NEC Releases: Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1 | Preseason Poll Release 

NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ness Davis, Duquesne
Running Back, Redshirt Sophomore, 5-11, 200 lbs., Athens, GA/Athens Christian (Arkansas-Pine Bluff)
Week 8 Stats: 164 rushing yards, 17 rushes, 1 rushing TD
Davis powered Duquesne’s offense to the tune of a commanding 37-0 win at Mercyhurst in a battle of two unbeaten NEC squads in Erie on Saturday evening. The redshirt sophomore shredded the Lakers’ defense after he compiled a league-leading 164 rushing yards on 17 carries for an impressive 9.6 yards per rush. Hailing from Athens, GA, Davis set the tone early with a 59-yard touchdown run on the first play of the Dukes’ second drive of the contest to make it a 14-0 advantage. Posting the most rushing yards by an NEC back against a Division I opponent this season with his third 100-yard game of the season and the fifth of his career, Davis, who is second in the conference with 66.5 rushing yards per game, helped Duquesne finish with 366 yards on the ground. That total was the program’s highest since 2018 and the most by an NEC squad this season against Division I competition. Davis is the second Duke to garner NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Offensive Player of the Week distinction this season, joining quarterback Tyler Riddell.

NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Avery Morris, Duquesne
Linebacker, Graduate Student, 6-2, 230 lbs., Humble, TX/Atascocita (UTSA/Charlotte)
Week 8 Stats: 9 tackles (5 solo), 1 fumble recovery for touchdown (35 yards)
Morris was the centerpiece of a dominant defensive performance by Duquesne in Saturday’s battle of the unbeatens at Mercyhurst in Erie. The graduate linebacker balled out for the Dukes, who blanked the Lakers and improved to 3-0 in NEC play with a commanding 37-0 triumph. The shutout marked Duquesne’s first against an NEC foe since 2023, when the eventual NEC champs handed Sacred Heart a 27-0 loss. Morris’ stat line included nine tackles, five of which were solo stops, and his second defensive touchdown of the season, a 35-yard scoop and score that put the Dukes up by a 27-0 count at halftime. In addition, the transfer from Charlotte and UTSA anchored a defense that limited Mercyhurst to just 118 total yards of offense and 12 rushing yards while forcing seven three-and-outs on the evening. Morris became the second Duke in the past three weeks to take home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Defensive Player of the Week accolades, as Tyson Meiguez earned the distinction on Oct. 6.

NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Matt Clark, Duquesne
Kicker, Senior, 5-9, 170 lbs., Easton, PA/Easton Area
Week 8 Stats: 13 points, 3-3 FG (27, 26, 31 yards), 4-4 PAT, 429 kickoff yards, 7 kickoffs, 4 touchbacks
Clark contributed 13 points to Duquesne’s commanding 37-0 win in a battle of unbeatens at Mercyhurst on Saturday. The veteran was perfect in each of his three field goal attempts, converting on kicks from 27, 26 and 31 yards. He also enjoyed a perfect night after he went 4-for-4 on PATs. In addition to registering the most field goals by a Duke since 2022, the Easton, PA native’s three field goal makes were tied for the most by an NEC kicker in a game this season and they were the most made against a Division I opponent. Clark had a busy day for the Dukes in the big win, as he also handled the team’s kickoff duties. He registered four touchbacks on seven kickoffs and totaled 429 kickoff yards in the contest. Clark is the second Duquesne player in as many weeks to earn NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Special Teams Player of the Week honors this year as Joel Kpassou took home the honor last week.

NEC/ATLANTIC TOMORROW'S OFFICE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Zach Bonini, Central Connecticut
Punter, Redshirt Freshman, 5-10, 220 lbs., Enfield, CT/Enfield
Week 8 Stats: 207 punting yards, 5 punts, 41.4 yards per punt, 1 inside-20, 1 touchback, 1 50+ yards
Bonini handled the punting duties for Central Connecticut on Saturday at Wagner, where he helped the defending champs craft a 24-17 come-from-behind overtime victory to remain undefeated in NEC play at 3-0. The local product from Enfield, CT booted five punts for a total of 207 yards to average 41.4 yards per attempt. In addition, Bonini placed one punt inside the 20-yard line while his game- and career-long 65-yard punt — his second 50-plus yarder of the season — resulted in a touchback. Bonini is the second Blue Devil to earn NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Rookie of the Week honors as he joins kicker Jack Hennessey, who garnered the award after opening weekend.


#NECFB PRIME PERFORMERS (Week 8)

Chris Jean, CCSU (DB, So)
Jean’s fourth interception of the season — a pick in the end zone — prevented a Wagner score with 2:40 left in regulation and ultimately forced overtime between the two league foes on Staten Island. The sophomore defensive back added four tackles for the Blue Devils, who improved to 3-0 in conference play with the 24-17 victory.

Brady Olson, CCSU (QB, Sr)
Olson took matters into his own hands in overtime at Wagner on Saturday as his 11-yard scamper into the end zone on the first possession of the extra session sealed a 24-17 win and preserved Central Connecticut’s undefeated record in NEC play. The senior quarterback threw for 251 yards and a touchdown in the triumph.
  
Malachi Wright, CCSU (LB, Sr)
In Central Connecticut’s 24-17 overtime win at Wagner, Wright matched a game high in tackles after registering nine, including three solo stops. The senior linebacker added 1.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 sack to help the Blue Devils stay undefeated against league teams at 3-0.
 
Ness Davis, DUQ (RB, R-So)
Leading all NEC rushers with 164 yards on 17 carries, Davis powered Duquesne to a dominant 37-0 win at then-undefeated Mercyhurst on Saturday night. The redshirt sophomore set the tone early with a 59-yard touchdown run that put the Dukes up by a 14-0 count in the first quarter. Davis was also named the NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Offensive Player of the Week.
 
Kevin Kurzinger, DUQ (DL, Gr)
Kurzinger posted 3.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks, both career highs, in Duquesne’s shutout win at then-undefeated Mercyhurst on Saturday. The graduate defensive lineman anchored a unit that limited the Lakers to just 118 total yards of offense and 12 rushing yards while forcing seven three-and-outs on the evening.
 
Avery Morris, DUQ (LB, Gr)
Morris was the centerpiece of a dominant defensive effort that saw Duquesne shut out Mercyhurst in a 37-0 final in a battle of the unbeatens on Saturday night. Recording a career-high nine tackles, the graduate linebacker’s second touchdown of the season — a 35-yard scoop and score — helped the Dukes build a 27-0 halftime lead. Morris also took home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office Defensive Player of the Week distinction.
 
Jalen Bell, LIU (DB, So)
Bell anchored a defensive performance that allowed just one touchdown and 47 yards on the ground with nine tackles, including five solo stops. The sophomore defensive back added 2.0 tackles-for-loss and a pass breakup in the 17-7 triumph.
 
O’Shawn Ross, Jr., LIU (RB, R-Jr)
Ross eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark for the second time this season after he racked up 110 yards on 23 carries in LIU’s 17-7 win over visiting Robert Morris on Saturday. The redshirt junior broke open a scoreless deadlock with a seven-yard touchdown run to help the Sharks build a 14-0 lead before halftime. 
 
Ethan Shine, RMU (RB, Jr)
Shine, a running back, caught eight balls for a career-high 119 yards and added 24 rushing yards on nine carries in Robert Morris’ setback at LIU on Saturday. The junior pulled the Colonials within one score of the Sharks with a season-long 66-yard touchdown reception, a catch that capped a three-play, 91-yard drive with 11:25 left in the fourth quarter.
 
Camdon Wilborn, RMU (DL, So)
Wilborn racked up a career-high 10 tackles in Robert Morris’ hard-fought 17-7 defeat at LIU on Saturday. The sophomore defensive lineman added 1.5 tackles-for-loss, including his first career sack.
 
Charles Battaglia, STO (LB, Jr)
Battaglia was a bright spot in Stonehill’s defeat at Yale on Saturday with a career-high 14 tackles, including a pair of solo stops, and a pass breakup. The 14 stops were the most by an NEC player in Week 8.
 
Jordan Johnson, WC (LB, Sr)
Johnson helped Wagner jump out to a 14-0 lead against defending champion Central Connecticut with the longest fumble return for a touchdown in program history — a 92-yard scoop and score. The senior linebacker added five solo tackles to his stat line.

  
AROUND THE NEC IN 8 SENTENCES

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT: Central Connecticut became the first program in league annals to reach 100 conference wins with Saturday’s 24-17 overtime triumph at Wagner. 
 
DUQUESNE: Defeating then-undefeated Mercyhurst by a 37-0 final, Duquesne shut out a league opponent for the first time since 2023 (27-0 win vs. Sacred Heart), and the fifth time in the past six years.

LIU: The Sharks have held opponents to an average of 3.8 yards per carry, which leads the conference.

MERCYHURST: In 19 games as a Division I quarterback graduate student Adam Urena has thrown 39 touchdowns to lead all active NEC signal callers.

NEW HAVEN: The Chargers’ offensive line has allowed a league-low four sacks (seven fewer than the next closest competitor), while the defense is tied with Central Connecticut for the conference lead with 18 sacks.

ROBERT MORRIS: Robert Morris has recovered a league-leading five fumbles this season.

SAINT FRANCIS: Sophomore Zachary Betts tops the NEC charts and is 29th in the nation with 0.67 sacks per contest.

STONEHILL: Stonehill has converted on a league-best 73.7 percent of its fourth-down attempts, a figure that ranks sixth in the nation.

WAGNER: Wagner took an NEC team into overtime for the first time since 2017, when the Skyhawks suffered a 51-45 defeat to Central Connecticut.


2025 NEC FOOTBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1: AJ Duffy (New Haven)
Sept. 8: Luca Stanzani (LIU)
Sept. 15: AJ Duffy (New Haven)
Sept. 22: Elijah Howard (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 29: Tyler Riddell (Duquesne)
Oct. 6: Brady Olson (Central Connecticut)
Oct. 13: Brian Trobel (Mercyhurst)
Oct. 20: Ness Davis (Duquesne)
Oct. 27: 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1: Geno Calgaro (Saint Francis)
Sept. 8: Rafael Fasolino (LIU)
Sept. 15: Christopher Jean (Central Connecticut) & Liam Godwin (New Haven)
Sept. 22: Christopher Jean (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 29: Charles Battaglia (Stonehill)
Oct. 6: Tyson Meiguez (Duquesne)
Oct. 13: Malachi Wright (Central Connecticut)
Oct. 20: Avery Morris (Duquesne)
Oct. 27: 

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1: Will Lynch (LIU) & Jayson Jenkins (Robert Morris)
Sept. 8: Jayson Jenkins (Robert Morris)
Sept. 15: Brayden Hall (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 22: Logan Chenette (Stonehill)
Sept. 29: Jadon Turner (Central Connecticut)
Oct. 6: Jack Hennessey (Central Connecticut)
Oct. 13: Joel Kpassou (Duquesne)
Oct. 20: Matt Clark (Duquesne)
Oct. 27: 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sept. 1: Jack Hennessey (Central Connecticut)
Sept. 8: Jameir Gamble (Mercyhurst)
Sept. 15: Naquan Johnson (LIU)
Sept. 22: Alim Parks, Jr. (Wagner)
Sept. 29: DJ Maultsby (Saint Francis)
Oct. 6: Ryan Petras (Duquesne)
Oct. 13: Ryan Petras (Duquesne)
Oct. 20: Zach Bonini (Central Connecticut)
Oct. 27: