The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston honored three individuals from the NESCAC when it recently announced its annual football awards. Tufts quarterback Mike Berluti was selected as the Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award honoree for the 2024 season while Wesleyan's Ben Carbeau was honored with the Joseph P. Zabilski Award. Former Tufts Football head coach Bill Samko (1994-2010) received the Gridiron Club's Second Annual Dick Lawrence Football Longevity Award.
Berluti is the 22nd player from the NESCAC to garner the NIls V. "Swede" Nelson Award and Carbeau is the 23rd NESCAC player to earn the Joseph P. Zablinski Award. The individuals will be presented with their awards at the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston's 2024 College Football Awards Night on December 16 at the Burlington Marriott Hotel.
The Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award is given for excellence in athletics, academics, and sportsmanship. Berluti was the Division II/III recipient and Harvard's Austin Gentle was the Bowl and Championship Division winner of the 78th edition of the award.
As the All-NESCAC First Team quarterback, Berluti finished among the NCAA Division III's top 40 for total offense. He passed for 2,052 yards and ran for 291 yards, an average of 260.3 yards of total offense per game.
In his three full seasons as the starting quarterback, Berluti led the Jumbos to a 19-8 record (.703) including a conference runner-up mark of 7-2 in 2024. During his career, including his six starts as a freshman (4-2 record), Berluti broke a program-best 10 school records and four NESCAC records. Among his career conference records are total offense (10,234 yards) and total touchdowns (passing and rushing) with 83. He was a two-time football captain and has also been on the Jumbo basketball team for two seasons.
Berluti is a Dean's List student as an economics major with a minor in entrepreneurship. He's a three-time NESCAC All-Academic Team selection for carrying a grade point average of 3.50 or higher. During the summer 2022 he studied at the London School of Economics in the Summer Business and Management Program.
Among his service activities, Berluti is a volunteer for the NaviGivesBack program which provides backpacks filled with necessary school supplies for under-served elementary school students. He's also a member of Jumbo Ventures which connects students with mentors and resources to assist with their new business ideas.
Berluti is the sixth Tufts University football player to receive the Swede Nelson Award. That includes his former teammate Mike Pedrini, the Jumbo most recently selected for the award in 2021.
Carbeau was honored with the Joe P. Zabilski Award given to the best college players in New England at the Division II/III level. Monti Quinn of Curry and Arsen Shtefan of Springfield were also recognized with the honor which was bestowed for the 28th time. Carbeau is the fourth Wesleyan player to be lauded.
The 2024 NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-New England pick, and two-time All-NESCAC First Team honoree adds this prestigious honor to his career trophy case. Carbeau completed his career as one of the most decorated players in team history. Carbeau led the Cardinals to an 8-1 record and the team's first outright NESCAC title in 2024.
Carbeau produced a tremendous statistical season, leading what was one of the best defenses in the country throughout the 2024 campaign. In nine games this season, Carbeau recorded 66 tackles (32 solo) with 14.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks from the linebacker position. He led the team in all three categories and became the first NESCAC linebacker to lead the conference in TFL since 2019. Both his TFL and sack totals are at least double his previous single-season career-high.
Carbeau captained a Wesleyan defense that ranked first in the NESCAC in scoring defense, passing defense, fumbles recovered, opponent first downs, opponent third down success rate, and red zone defense. Across the country, Wesleyan's defense ranked 19th in total defense (253.9), 24th in scoring defense (14.8), 19th in passing yards allowed (156.8), 1st in fewest first downs allowed (121), and 7th in third-down defense (26.7).
| Past NESCAC Winners - Nils V. "Swede" Nelson Award |
|
Past NESCAC Winners - Joseph P. Zabilski Award |
| Year |
Player |
Position |
School |
|
Year |
Player |
School |
| 2024 |
Mike Berluti |
QB |
Tufts |
|
2024 |
Ben Carbeau |
Wesleyan |
| 2022 |
Tony Hooks |
LB |
Bates |
|
2023 |
Spencer Fetter |
Trinity |
| 2021 |
Mike Pedrini |
RB |
Tufts |
|
2022 |
Nick Helbig |
Wesleyan |
| 2018 |
Joe Wilson |
OL |
Wesleyan |
|
2021 |
Bobby Maimaron |
Williams |
| 2016 |
Mark Upton |
LB |
Bates |
|
2018 |
Ryan McDonald |
Tufts |
| 2007 |
Dan Guariglia |
OL |
Amherst |
|
2017 |
Andrew Yamin |
Amherst |
| 2006 |
Brendan Fulmer |
WR/P/K |
Williams |
|
2017 |
Mike Breuler |
Wesleyan |
| 2005 |
David Diamond |
OL |
Bowdoin |
|
2016 |
Chance Brady |
Tufts |
| 2004 |
Fletcher Ladd |
RB |
Amherst |
|
2015 |
Jimmy Fairfield-Sonn |
Amherst |
| 2002 |
Chuck McGraw |
RB |
Tufts |
|
2014 |
Jake Bussani |
Wesleyan |
| 2000 |
Tim McCarthy |
OL |
Middlebury |
|
2012 |
McCallum Foote |
Middlebury |
| 1998 |
Eric Trum |
OL |
Tufts |
|
2011 |
Walter Fallas |
Trinity |
| 1997 |
Daniel Lord |
OL |
Tufts |
|
2007 |
Patrick Lucey |
Williams |
| 1996 |
Joseph DeAngelis |
OL |
Trinity |
|
2005 |
Mike Blair |
Trinity |
| 1994 |
Nate Sleeper |
QB |
Williams |
|
2003 |
Mark Tilki |
Tufts |
| 1993 |
Michael Turmelle |
DB |
Bowdoin |
|
2003 |
Tom Pierandri |
Trinity |
| 1991 |
Paul Oliveira |
OL |
Tufts |
|
2002 |
Scott Farley |
Williams |
| 1990 |
Mark Katz |
OL |
Bowdoin |
|
2001 |
Joseph Reardon |
Williams |
| 1977 |
Roy Heffernan |
RB |
Middlebury |
|
2000 |
Bryan Sanchez |
Middlebury |
| 1975 |
George Niland |
OL |
Trinity |
|
1998 |
Sean Keenan |
Williams |
| 1974 |
Peter Gorniewicz |
RB |
Colby |
|
1997 |
Richard Willard |
Amherst |
| 1959 |
George Roden |
QB |
Colby |
|
1996 |
Raymond Jones |
Trinity |
|
|
|
|
|
1996 |
Alex Bernstein |
Amherst |
