Every Monday during the season, NESCAC Players of the Week will be selected based on information submitted by the athletic communications offices at member institutions.

NESCAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Matt Fitzsimons – Wesleyan – Jr. – QB – Somers, N.Y.
Fitzsimons led the Cardinals to a comeback win, helping Wesleyan defeat Williams, 34-28 in overtime, to secure a record-breaking fourth straight Little Three Championship. Fitzsimons led the Cardinals on a pair of touchdown-scoring drives, overcoming a 28-14 deficit with less than three minutes remaining to send the game into OT. In the overtime period, Fitzsimons hit Sean Cannon with a 24-yard pass on 1st down, setting up a walk-off touchdown run on the next play to land the win. Fitzsimons finished 29-for-50 for a school record 458 yards, passing the previous school record set by Zach Canter ’07 (437 yards vs. Hamilton in 2004). The junior added three touchdowns and connected for gains of 44, 47, and 56 yards in the second half.

NESCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Angus Leary – Bowdoin – So. – LB – West Roxbury, Mass.
Leary spearheaded the Polar Bear defense in a 17-9 win over Bates on Saturday. Leary totaled six tackles and had 2.5 sacks, one of which forced a fumble late in the second quarter as Bates was driving at midfield. Leary leads the conference in sacks (8.5) and tackles for loss (14.5).

NESCAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Dean Sokaris – Wesleyan – Sr. – DL – Guilderland, N.Y.
On the would-be go-ahead field goal attempt, Sokaris came up with a crucial blocked field goal from 26 yards out in overtime, helping lead the Cardinals to a 34-28 overtime victory over Williams. Sokaris, who also recorded six tackles in the game, got a hand on the ball, and the Wesleyan offense finished off the game with a touchdown two plays later on its overtime possession. 

NESCAC Weekly Honor Roll
Amherst – Carter Jung (Menlo Park, Calif. had a team-leading six catches for 75 yards Saturday in a 14-7 loss to Trinity. The senior was the receiving end of the Mammoths' longest play from scrimmage, a 45-yard catch. Jung is third in the NESCAC with 45 receptions, two off the pace … Junior Tylik Sims (Steubenville, Ohio) made 10 tackles, seven solo and 2.5 for loss while intercepting a pass and returning it 53 yards for the Mammoths' only touchdown versus the Bantams. 

Bates – Jeff Vidou (Cornish, N.H.) carried the ball six times for a career-high 48 yards and scored his first career rushing touchdown on Saturday at Bowdoin. The sophomore also caught five passes for 29 yards against the Polar Bears, adding to a versatile season that's seen Vidou tally 120 rushing yards and 282 receiving yards, both of which rank second on the team with one game remaining … Making his first career start, Will Sutton (West Newbury, Mass.) tallied his first career interception at Bowdoin. The senior’s leaping grab in the end zone turned away the Polar Bears in the first quarter, and he was part of a Bates defense that held the Polar Bears to 187 yards of total offense, the fewest amount of total yards allowed by a Bobcat defense in a game since 2015.

Bowdoin – Junior Caden Perry (Houston, Texas) was key to the Polar Bears' 17-9 win over Bates on Saturday, helping Bowdoin win the battle of field position with nine punts for an average of 41.2 yards with five tucked inside the Bates 20. Perry also connected on both PAT's and hit a 30-yard field goal in the second half that effectively clinched the victory, giving Bowdoin a three-score lead in the fourth quarter. 

Colby – Antone Moreis (Edgartown, Mass.) scored two touchdowns on the ground and added another through the air as Colby defeated Tufts for the first time in 10 years and secured its first winning season since the Mules tallied seven wins in 2005. The junior carried the ball 16 times for 172 yards and two scores and added three catches for 36 yards and a third touchdown.  His 84-yard touchdown run in the second quarter put the Mules in front 16-0 and set a new Colby record for longest touchdown run from scrimmage (previously 80 yards by Danny Noyes '02 vs. Middlebury, 2000) … Nicholas Cox (Lyme, Conn.) had two interceptions to lead Colby's defense against Tufts. Cox’s first pick closed out the first half as Colby took a 19-0 lead into the break, and his second interception came early in the fourth quarter to set up a three-score lead. Colby's defense has allowed 10 or fewer points in four of its last five games as the Mules defeated Tufts for the first time in 10 years … Eli Soehren (Otisfield, Maine) helped Colby dominate field position versus the Jumbos, sending five of his six punts over 50 yards, with a long of 62. On back-to-back punts late in the third quarter (56 and 55 yards respectively), the junior settled his punts at Tufts' one-yard line as Colby held on to a two-score lead. Soehren has vaulted up the NESCAC rankings to the top slot with 41.9 yards per punt on the season, a league-leading nine punts of 50+ yards, while allowing a mere 0.9 yards per return. 

Hamilton – Luke Kurzum (Caldwell, N.J.) was 22-of-35 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in a 24-21 setback against Middlebury. Kurzum also ran for 54 yards. The junior is in the top three in the NESCAC in touchdown passes, passing yards, and completions … Mat Bucher (Half Moon Bay, Calif.) made a career-high 13 tackles, including the junior's first sack, and added a quarterback hurry against the Panthers. Bucher is tied for sixth in the NESCAC with 60 tackles … Junior Carmelo Velardo (Fort Lee, N.J.) made all three extra-point attempts and averaged 55.0 yards on four kickoffs with one touchback and three fair catches against Middlebury.

Middlebury – Connor McClellan (Columbus, Ohio) posted career-highs with 35 carries and 216 yards to help Middlebury defeat Hamilton, 24-21. McClellan tallied the game-sealing play on a 57-yard score that gave the Panthers the lead with 6:30 remaining. McClellan’s 216 yards are the second-most in a game in the NESCAC this season. The sophomore also leads the conference with 108.3 yards on the ground per contest and 11 rushing scores … Junior Charlie Grant (Norfolk, Mass.) led Middlebury’s defensive unit with six total tackles (5 solo) against Hamilton. His performance helped the Panthers hold on to the Old Rocking Chair for the 29th straight year … Senior Tony Wang (Ladera Ranch, Calif.) tallied six points versus Hamilton. With 11:59 remaining in the contest, Wang converted a career-best 44-yard field goal that cut the Contentials' lead to four. The senior also converted all three of his PATs and recorded four touchbacks on kickoffs. Wang is one field goal away from tying the program record heading into next weekend’s season-finale against Tufts.

Trinity – Senior Tyler DiNapoli (West Haven, Conn.) helped power the Bantams to a 14-7 win over Amherst, generating 97 all-purpose yards in the victory. DiNapoli was the Bantams' leading receiver with 67 yards on two receptions, including a 46-yard touchdown catch-and-run to give Trinity a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. DiNapoli added 30 yards on 12 carries … Senior Jack Sokol (Medfield, Mass.) logged a career-high 47.2-yard average on five punts, including a career-high three punts inside the 20-yard line with two landing inside the five-yard line. Due to Sokol's efforts, the Mammoths had an average starting field position at their own 15-yard line.

Tufts - Junior running back Christian Shapiro (South Salem, N.Y.) posted a team-high 51 yards rushing on 13 attempts and scored the lone touchdown in Tufts' home Senior Day contest against Colby. Shapiro has scored in seven straight games, the first time a Jumbo has ever rushed for a touchdown in seven straight games, breaking the tie with Chance Brady, who scored in six consecutive games in the 2016 campaign … Junior placekicker Caden Lawlor (Seattle, Wash.) did his part for the Jumbos on kick-offs Saturday, as he hit both of his kicks into the end zone for touchbacks. On the season, Lawlor has five touchbacks.

Wesleyan – Senior defensive back Dylan Connors (West Milford, N.J.) recorded five tackles (4 solo), one pass breakup, and an interception in the closing minute of regulation. That interception was his second of the year and denied Williams on its drive for a possible game-winning score in the final minute of the fourth quarter in a tie game.

Williams – Jon Oris (Otis, Mass.) rushed 19 times for 71 yards and one touchdown, while also recording two receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown against Wesleyan on Saturday … Sophomore Luke Mangini (Moreland Hills, Ohio) recorded four solo tackles, four assisted tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, and one interception (40-yard return) against the Cardinals … Junior Leonardo Maiuolo (San Jose, Calif.) placed four punts inside the Cardinals' 20-yard line and went 4-for-4 on PATs against Wesleyan.