Football Places Three on All-Conference Teams
The Owls placed senior DL Cade Nelson (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and FB Dylan Disabella (Granby, Conn.) on the first team, and first-year DB Andrew Lovell (Barnstable, Mass.) was named as the Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year.
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State football landed three players on the 2024 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference all-conference team, the league announced today.
The Owls placed senior DL Cade Nelson (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and FB Dylan Disabella (Granby, Conn.) on the first team, and first-year DB Andrew Lovell (Barnstable, Mass.) was named as the Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Nelson lands on an all-conference team for the third time in his career. He was a first team pick in 2023 and a second-team pick in his first season as an Owl in 2021. He finished the 2024 season with 44 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 9.5 tackles-for-loss. He forced one fumble and recovered another. He was tied for 11th in the league in sacks and t-8 in TFLs.
Nelson finishes his four-year playing career with 204 tackles, 12 sacks, 30 TFLs, and three forced fumbles, while playing a variety of roles on the defensive line in both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses.
Disabella enjoyed a breakout season for the Owls after switching into the fullback role halfway through the season. He ran for 100+ yards in 4 of 5 games in that role, including 241 in the season finale. He totaled 143 carries for 766 yards and seven TD's on the ground, and also was the Owls leading receiver with 14 catches for 240 yards and two more scores. Formerly a tight end and wingback, Disabella has career totals of 49 receptions for 607 yards, and has 12 total TD's as an Owl.
Lovell shared the league's defensive rookie of the year honor with Plymouth State DB Robbie Engel.
Lovell finished the 2024 campaign with 42 tackles (20 solo), two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries. He was the league's rookie of the week on Oct. 7 for a big performance against Castleton State.
Westfield State football posted a 4-6 overall record and a 4-5 mark in MASCAC conference play to finish sixth (one game back of a three-way tie for third) in the 10-team league under first-year head coach Lou Conte, Jr. The Owls won two of their last three games to close 2024, including a 22-7 win over Fitchburg State in the season finale.