Springfield, Mass. - February 7, 2025 - The Springfield College football program was well represented when the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced its 2024 Division III Football All-ECAC Teams and major awards.

The Pride earned three major ECAC awards as Billy Carr (Southington, Conn.) was named Division III Football Defensive Player of the Year, Arsen Shtefan (West Hartford, Conn.) was named Division III Offensive Player of the Year, and Aaziah Scott (Savannah, Ga.) was named Division III Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

A total of six student-athletes were honored on the ECAC Division III Football All-ECAC Teams as Carr, Shtefan and Scott were joined by Kevin Lind (Hazlet, N.J.), Craig Connell (Goshen, N.Y.) and Joe Maurer (Wilbraham, Mass.) on the All-ECAC Teams this fall. Shtefan, Lind and Connell were first team offense selections, Carr was selected to the defensive first team and Maurer was named to the defensive second team.

In 13 games, Shtefan carried the ball 283 times and led all of Division III with 1,716 yards on the ground. Shtefan also ranked third in the nation in rushing touchdowns with 21 and fifth in the country with 132 rushing yards per game. The fullback was also named to the Associated Press Division III All-America First Team, D3football.com All-America Second Team, D3football.com All-Region I First Team, CSC Academic All-District Team, Gridiron Club of Greater Boston New England Co-Offensive Player of the Year, New England Football Writers Association College Division 2024 Season Gold Helmet Award and NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Year as well as the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team.

Scott made an immediate impact to the defensive line in his first season for the Pride, as the rookie made 54 tackles, 6 for loss, and intercepted a pass – the first defensive lineman to register a pick in their first season since in 2012. Scott's 54 tackles is the most in Division III program history for a defensive lineman and the most overall for a first-year since 2016. Scott was also named NEWMAC Defensive Rookie of the Year. 

Carr played a pivotal role leading Springfield's defensive unit, registering 79 total tackles (46 solo, 33 assist), 9.5 tackles for a loss and 2.5 sacks this season. The senior linebacker also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and broke up a pair of passes. Carr's play also led to recognition on the D3football.com All-America fourth team, D3football.com All-Region I First Team, New England Football Writers Association All-New England team, NEWMAC All-Conference First Team and being named NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Year.

This season, Lind and Connell led an offensive line that helped Springfield rush for 427.5 rushing yards per game. The Springfield offense also rushed for a total of 5,557 yards, the most in the history of Division III and a new program record, while the Pride's 583 points scored and 808 rushing attempts were the most ever in the 134-year history of the program. The Pride also ranked second nationally in Division III in third down conversions, succeeding at a 51.9% clip. Lind was also named to the 2024 D3football.com All-Region I Second Team and NEWMAC All-Conference First Team. Connell was also named to the D3football.com All-America Third Team, D3football.com All-Region I First Team, New England Football Writers Association All-New England team and to the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team.

Maurer returned 13 kickoffs for 376 yards and a touchdown which was highlighted by a 95-yard return for a touchdown against Western New England on Sept. 6 in the season opener. Maurer has averaged 28.92 yards per kickoff return and 15.55 yards per punt return on the season. Defensively, Maurer has also led Springfield with four interceptions - three of which came against Salve Regina on Oct. 26 and one against UMass Dartmouth on Nov. 30 - in addition to 40 total tackles this year. Maurer was also recognized as the NEWMAC Special Teams Athlete of the Year, placed on the 2024 D3football.com All-Region I Third Team and NEWMAC All-Conference First Team.

This season, Springfield won its fourth consecutive New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Championship title and a program record 12 wins under AP Division III National Coach of the Year and Walter Camp Division III Coach of the Year Mike Cerasuolo. After winning the NEWMAC title, 55-20, at Maritime, Springfield earned a first round bye in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The Pride hosted a second round game on Stagg Field against UMass-Dartmouth defeating the Corsairs, 54-27, before dethroning the defending national champions and second-ranked Cortland on the road, 40-28, in the third round of the tournament to reach the NCAA Quarterfinal for the first time since 2000.

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