Click HERE for PDF Release

NEC Offensive Player of the Week: Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Junior Wily, Wagner
NEC Special Teams Player of the Week: Ryan Liszner, Wagner
NEC Rookie of the Week: Nigel Henderson, Stonehill
Previous NEC Releases: September 11 | September 4 | Preseason Poll Release | TV Package Release

NEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill
Running Back, Sr., 5-9, 190 lbs., Long Branch, NJ/Long Branch
Week 3 Stats: 29 rushes, 131 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs, 136 all-purpose yards
Corbett rushed for over 100 yards for the second time in as many weeks to propel Stonehill past Georgetown, 23-20, on Saturday for the program’s first victory against a non-conference FCS opponent. The senior from Long Branch, NJ finished with 131 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 29 carries to pace a Skyhawks’ offense that never trailed in the game and put up 348 total yards against a Hoyas’ defense that entered the week ranked No. 1 in the nation. Corbett gave Stonehill an early lead on the Skyhawks’ first possession when he capped off a 10-play, 89-yard drive with an eight-yard touchdown run. His second rushing score went for six yards to put the Skyhawks in front, 13-7, in the second quarter. The elusive running back has put up hefty numbers that stack up well against FCS leaders this season. He enters Week 4 ranked fifth in the nation in rushing yards per game (126.0), third in total rushing yards (378) and tied for fourth in rushing touchdowns (5). Corbett becomes the first-ever Skyhawk to repeat as an NEC weekly award winner, and the first player to repeat as NEC Player of the Week since Merrimack’s Victor Dawson earned the award in consecutive weeks last season (Oct. 10 and Oct. 17). 
  
NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior Wily, Wagner
Linebacker, Sr., 5-11, 210 lbs., Honolulu, HI/Saint Louis School (Fullerton College)
Week 3 Stats: 5 tackles (1 solo), INT, 52-yard TD return
Wily’s big defensive play during the second quarter in Wagner’s NEC debut at Sacred Heart on Saturday earned the veteran linebacker NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second time in his career. The Hawaii native got the scoring going for the Seahawks with 6:01 left until the break when he took an interception on a Pioneers’ first down at their own 42-yard line and returned it 52 yards for a touchdown. With Wily’s first career pick six, Wagner managed to build a 10-0 lead at the break that they would not relinquish in the eventual 17-10 victory. With the win, the Seahawks snapped a four-game skid against the Pioneers that dated back to the 2018 campaign. In addition to the clutch interception and touchdown return, Wily added five tackles to push his season total to 21, which is good for ninth in the circuit. Wily previously earned NEC Defensive Player of the Week honors in 2022 on Oct. 24, after the Seahawks defeated LIU for their first victory of the season. 
  
NEC SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ryan Liszner, Wagner
Kicker/Punter, Fr., 6-3, 190 lbs., Clifton, NJ/Clifton
Week 3 Stats: 1-1 FG, 42-yard FG, 2-2 PAT, 65.0 yards per KO, 2 TBs
Liszner had a big impact in Wagner’s conference-opening 17-10 victory at Sacred Heart on Saturday. Going 2-for-2 on PATs, the rookie kicker from Clifton, NJ converted on a 42-yard field goal in the final seconds of the opening half to put the Seahawks up, 10-0, at the break. In addition, in three kickoffs, Liszner averaged 65.0 yards with a pair of touchbacks. With the victory, the Seahawks are off to a 1-0 start in NC play for the first time since 2019. They also ended a four-game skid against the Pioneers. 

NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Nigel Henderson, Stonehill
Defensive Back, Fr., 5-10, 180 lbs., Hanover, MD/Calvert Hall/Myrtle Beach Prep (SC)
Week 3 Stats: 4 tackles, FF in final 3:31 to seal win
Henderson’s heads-up play in the final minutes at Georgetown proved to be a crucial one, as it helped Stonehill seal a 23-20 victory for the program’s first-ever non-conference win against an FCS opponent on Saturday. Two and a half minutes after reigning NEC Special Teams Player of the Week Perry Shelbred connected on the go-ahead field goal for the second straight week from 37 yards out, Henderson forced a Hoyas fumble near midfield that was recovered by sophomore Jordan Irvine with 3:31 remaining. The Hanover, MD native also contributed four solo tackles in the Skyhawks’ second-straight road victory. With the honor, Henderson is the first Skyhawk to garner NEC Rookie of the Week honors this season.


#NECFB PRIME PERFORMERS (Week 3)

Kimal Clark, CCSU (DB, Jr.)
Clark finished with a game-high 13 tackles, including 10 solo and 1.0 tackle-for loss, to lead the Blue Devils at FBS opponent Kent State on Saturday. The junior defensive back has now posted consecutive games with 10+ tackles after he registered 10 against Stonehill earlier this month.
 
Antwan Spencer, LIU (DB, Sr.)
Spencer had a team-leading 10 tackles, including seven solo, to lead LIU at Big 12 member Baylor on Saturday. The senior defensive back and the Sharks’ defense held the Bears to just seven points in the opening quarter in the eventual 30-7 defeat. 
 
Tyvon Edmonds Jr. MC (RB, Jr.)
Edmonds was the leading rusher in Merrimack’s 44-0 win over visiting Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday. The junior running back carried the ball 30 times for a touchdown and 214 yards, the most by an NEC player in a game this season.
 
Tyreke Brown, SHU (DL, Sr.)
Brown led the defensive unit in Sacred Heart’s conference opener against Wagner with seven tackles behind two solo and five assisted. The senior defensive lineman pushed the Seahawks back 13 yards on 2.5 tackles-for-loss.
 
Malik Grant, SHU (RB, Gr.)
Grant registered a season-best 173 yards of offense behind his first 100-yard rushing game of the season against Wagner on Saturday. The graduate running back carried the ball 27 times for 133 yards and added 40 receiving yards on three catches. 
 
Jermaine Corbett, STO (RB, Sr.)
Corbett put together his second straight 100-yard rushing game after he racked up 131 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in Stonehill’s 23-20 win on Saturday against a Georgetown defense that entered the week ranked first in NCAA Division I FCS. The senior running back registered an eight-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a six-yard rushing score in the second to pace the Skyhawks’ offense. Corbett was also named the NEC Player of the Week for the second straight week.
 
Chris Domercant, STO (WR, Jr.)
Domercant caught five passes for a season-best 94 yards and added 19 yards on a pair of rushes to help lead Stonehill past Georgetown, 23-20, for the program’s first-ever non-conference win against an FCS opponent on Saturday. The junior wide receiver capped off a grueling 16-play drive with his second touchdown reception in as many games after hauling in a 12-yard pass from quarterback Ashur Carraha in the third quarter. 
 
John Gioia, WC (LB, Gr.)
Gioia, who ranks third in the circuit with 9.3 tackles per game, tacked on eight more stops to his count on Saturday to push his season total to 28. The graduate student linebacker also accounted for one of three of Wagner’s first-half interceptions to lead the Seahawks to a 17-10 win at Sacred Heart in their NEC opener.
 
Justin Reilly, WC (DB, Sr.)
Reilly stuffed the stat sheet with a team-best 10 tackles and one sack to lead Wagner past Sacred Heart, 17-10, in Saturday’s conference debut. The senior defensive back joined teammates John Gioia and Junior Wily with first-half interceptions and anchored a Seahawks’ defense that held Sacred Heart scoreless in the first half after coming away with a pick on the Pioneers’ first drive. 
 
Junior Wily, WC (DB, Sr.)
Wily took an interception back for a touchdown to open the scoring with 6:01 left to play in the second quarter to help lead Wagner to a 17-10 win at Sacred Heart in the Seahawks’ NEC debut. The veteran linebacker added a season-high five tackles in the victory. Wily was also named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week.
  
  
AROUND THE NEC IN 8 SENTENCES

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT enters a bye week ranked first in the NEC in offense (28.0 points per game), total yards per game (367.0) and passing yards per game (201.0). 

DUQUESNE racked up 347 yards of total offense at FBS opponent Coastal Carolina, the most against a Division I opponent this season. 

LIU has three defensive players ranked in the NEC’s top six in tackles per game: Antwan Spencer (4th), Daylen Fuller (5th) and Leisaan Hibbert (6th).

MERRIMACK is the one of 15 teams in the nation to have not thrown an interception this season thanks in part to quarterback Gavin McCusker, who leads the team with three rushing scores and one touchdown pass.

SACRED HEART’s looks to rebound at Saint Francis U on Saturday after starting the season with an 0-3 mark for the first time in more than a decade (2012).

SAINT FRANCIS U redshirt sophomore Casey McKinney, who has led the Red Flash in receiving two times this season, has totaled 244 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 catches.  

STONEHILL has put up 300+ yards of offense in three consecutive games this season, including 348 against a Georgetown defense that entered the week ranked No. 1 in the FCS.

WAGNER held Sacred Heart to just 10 points, the fewest conceded by the Seahawks’ defense since limiting Robert Morris to seven in a win back on Nov. 17, 2018.


2023 NEC FOOTBALL WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS:

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Cole Doyle, Saint Francis U
Sept. 11: Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill
Sept. 18: Jermaine Corbett, Stonehill
Sept. 25: 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Eric O'Neill, LIU
Sept. 11: Micah Brown, Stonehill
Sept. 18: Junior Wily, Wagner
Sept. 25: 

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Jack Barnum, Central Connecticut
Sept. 11: Perry Shelbred, Stonehill
Sept. 18: Ryan Liszner, Wagner
Sept. 25: 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Sept. 4: Makhai Workman, Saint Francis U
Sept. 11: Trey Howe, Central Connecticut
Sept. 18: Nigel Henderson, Stonehill
Sept. 25: