Football Has Three Named To NEFWA All-New England Team
Clark earns honor for second time in as many years, while Elijah Howard and Walden, Jr. are recognized for the first time,
The Central Connecticut State football team had three players named to the All-New England Team, as selected by the New England Football Writers Association. Kimal Clark earns All-New England for the second time, while Davone Walden, Jr. and Elijah Howard are members of the team for the first time.
Clark, the NEC Defensive Player of the Year, finished the season with 117 total tackles, the most by a Blue Devil in the program's Division I history. The junior tallied five double-digit tackle games this season, including a career-best 18 in the game at UMass. He finished the year at 9.0 tackles per game, third in the NEC and currently 25th in FCS. His 5.1 solo tackles per game, a career-best 66 on the year, is the top number in the NEC. Clark was also an All-New England pick last fall after recording 89 tackles. He finished his junior year with 221 tackles.
Howard, the NEC Offensive Player of the Year, ran for 934 yards this fall, the second most in the NEC. He scored eight rushing touchdowns, tops in the NEC and led the league with 110.91 all-purpose yards per game. Howard had five 100+ yard rushing games, including the last two of the season and highlighted by a 169 yard effort in the win over Mercyhurst. He has run for 1,924 yards in his two seasons in New Britain, ninth on the all-time rushing list.
Walden, Jr. made the most of his one season in New Britain, earning All-NEC First Team accolades this fall. He recorded 49 tackles during the season, with 30 of those solo tackles. He also notched 4.0 TFL. In pass defense he matched up with the opponent's top receiver nearly every snap that he played. Walden broke up nine passes during the fall and intercepted three others.
The Blue Devils won the 2024 NEC Championship, a record-setting seventh crown, after winning their last four games. CCSU gave 10th ranked and #10 seeded URI all it could handle on Saturday in the FCS Playoffs, before falling 21-17. CCSU finished the year 7-6, its first winning season since 2019, posted a 5-1 mark in NEC play and made their third FCS Playoff appearance.
The team will be honored at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 12, at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center. Reservations must be made no later than 4:00PM, Friday, December 6, and may be made by clicking here. Tickets are $75/person. Reservations are made on-line only and are non-refundable.
CCSU's three selections trail behind the five of New Hampshire and fourth from Harvard, Dartmouth and URI each. The NEC had four selections to the team, the second most of any conference.
