Springfield, Mass. - January 7, 2026 - Springfield College football junior Tyler Sordillo (Hull, Mass), was named the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Defensive Player of the Year while seniors Craig Connell (Goshen, N.Y.), and Hunter Hayes (Auburn, Maine) were named to All-ECAC teams.
Sordillo was named to the All-ECAC First Team Defense while Hayes was named to the second team for the first ECAC honor of their careers. Connell was named to the All-ECAC First Team Offense for the second-straight season.
Sordillo and Hayes helped lead the Pride's defense to one of its most dominant seasons in program history as Springfield ranked among the best in Division III allowing just 13.3 points per game, 216.3 total yards per game and 71.3 rushing yards per game.
Individually, Sordillo registered 11.5 sacks, 14.0 tackles for a loss and 56 total tackles. Earlier this season, Sordillo was recognized as an Associated Press All-American, AFCA All-American, D3football.com All-Region honoree, a New England Football Writers Association All-New England Team selection, and was named the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Defensive Player of the Year. Hayes had a team-best 57.0 tackles and was named to the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team.
Connell guided Springfield to have the nation's best rushing offense as the Pride averaged 330.0 yards per game on the ground this year. Not only did Springfield lead Division III in rushing but Springfield ranked second across all NCAA Divisions including FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III only behind Division II Harding (450.5 yards per game). Springfield ranked first nationally in time of possession (35:06) and also tenth in third down conversion percentage (51.7-percent). Earlier this season, Connell was named to the D3football.com All-Region Team, New England Football Writers Association All-New England Team and was a NEWMAC All-Conference First Team selection.
This past season, Springfield won its fifth consecutive NEWMAC Championship title and made it to the second round of NCAA Division III Championship Tournament after defeating Cortland at home in the first round, 21-7.
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