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Bridgewater, NJ — The NEC landed two first-year football players on the FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team. Wagner rookie kicker Nicholas Romero (Pembroke Pines, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) and Mercyhurst offensive lineman Sawyer Prementine (Cleveland, OH/St. Edward) each earned the distinction.

The lone rookie to ink his name on an All-NEC squad when he was named to the First Team, Romero had an impressive debut on Grymes Hill. The Floridian drilled 13-of-14 field goals for a .929 conversion rate that ranked second among all FCS place kickers at the conclusion of the regular season. Romero connected from 40 yards or further five times, highlighted by a season-long 44-yarder in a win at Saint Francis. He was a two-time NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Rookie of the Week honoree and a Special Teams Player of the Week on one occasion.

Romero became Wagner's first First Team kicker since James Cooper in 2017 this past season, and he also made NEC history by becoming the first freshman kicker to earn a spot on the league's top team.  He also became the second Seahawk all-time to be named a Freshman All-American by FCS Football Central, joining Jaylen Bonelli (2023).

Prementine was a key component to a Lakers' offensive line that put up 16 rushing scores, the second-most in the NEC. The Buckeye State native paved the way for one of the league's top rushers in Brian Trobel, who averaged 81.9 rushing yards per game and 6.3 yards per carry while running for a conference-best 12 scores. Prementine also helped protect Mercyhurst graduate quarterback Adam Urena, who led all NEC signal callers with a 64.1 completion percentage and racked up 2,412 yards through the air, second-most in the conference.

This is the fourth iteration of the FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team. This year's team recognizes the best freshman players across the FCS, with 62 players and 46 programs recognized.