All-East Region Teams
Three Westfield State players - senior cornerback Josh Mathieu (Fitchburg, Mass.), junior punter Chris Stengel (Forest Hill, Md.) and senior defensive end Nick Gniadek (Northbridge, Mass.) - were named to the D3football.com 2009 All-East Region Team.
Mathieu and Stengel were both first-team selections and Gniadek was a second-team choice. There are four All-Region teams in the country and the East region includes New England, New York, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.
The teams, selected in balloting by East Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 181 nominations by Division III member schools. A total of 76 players were chosen, with Westfield garnering three of the 10 All-East Region picks from the 16-team New England Football Conference.
This is the third straight year Westfield State players have been selected to the prestigious squad respresenting the best Division III players in the East. Linebacker Jay Fielding and receiver David Benoit earned All-East Region second-team honors in 2008 while Fielding was a second-team pick in 2007.
"This is great recognition for our program and the players certainly deserve the honor," said Westfield head coach Steve Marino. "All three had outstanding seasons for us."
Mathieu, Stengel and Gniadek were leaders of the Owls' nationally-ranked defensive unit. Westfield ranks first nationally in NCAA Division III in pass efficiency defense and turnover margin, fourth in net punting and sixth in scoring defense. The Owls compiled a 7-3 record, losing their three games by a total of 12 points.
This is the third major award Mathieu has received this season. The a four-time all-conference pick was selected the New England Divisions II and III defensive player of the year by the Greater Gridiron Club of Boston and and the 2009 New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division defensive player of the year. He was named to the New England sportswriters Division II/III all-star team.
Mathieu leads the NCAA Division III nationally in passes defended per game (2.2). He tied the single-season school record with seven interceptions and set a new school standard with 15 pass breakups.
Mathieu ranks second on the Owls’ career charts with 19 interceptions and holds career school records for pass breakups (38) and interceptions returned for a touchdown (4). He returned interceptions for scores in each of his four years as a starter.
Stengel’s outstanding punting provided Westfield with good field position the entire season. He ranks 11th nationally in punting average (40.23) and had 26 punts inside the 20-yard line. Stengel averaged 7.5 punts per game while most of the national leaders averaged four punts per game. The Owls rank fourth nationally in net punting (36.22). Stengel also was selected to the sportswriters Division II/III all-star squad as the top punter in New England.
Gniadek led the Owls' defensive charge in the trenches. He ranked first in the NEFC in sacks (8), second in forced fumbles (3) and third in tackles for losses (16). He was Westfield’s third leading tackler with 51 stops.