Tetzel Named Recipient of Zabilski Award for Defense
Provided By Bentley College Sports Information
WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley senior safety Paul Tetzel
(Millbury/Millbury HS) has been selected as the 2007 recipient of
the 12th annual Joe Zabilski Award for defense by the Gridiron Club
of Greater Boston. The award, named in honor of the late
Northeastern University coach and athletics director, is given
annually to the premier Division II-III defensive player in New
England.
The award will be presented next Thursday, Jan. 10, when the
Gridiron Club holds its annual Bob Whalen College Football Awards
night at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington. Tetzel will receive the
award in absentia as he’ll be in Kingsville, Texas preparing
for the Cactus Bowl, a Division II all-star game being played the
next night.
Tetzel, who was third nationally in Division II in interceptions
and eighth in kickoff returns, earned numerous honors over the
course of his final season in a Bentley uniform. He was the
Defensive Player of the Year in the Northeast-10 Conference, as
well as a Daktronics Division II All-Northeast Region pick and New
England Football Writers Division II-III All-Star.
Tetzel, the only player in Bentley history to surpass 2,000 yards
in career return yardage, had 68 tackles, a fumble recovery and a
conference-best seven interceptions this fall. In addition, he
averaged 28.9 yards on kickoff returns, setting a Bentley varsity
record in the process, and was second on the team in all-purpose
running yards (75.1 per game).
Bentley posted a 7-3 record in 2007 and had the premier defensive
team in the Northeast-10, leading the conference in most
categories, including total defense and scoring defense.
Tetzel is the second Bentley player to receive the defensive
Zabilski, joining Ben Nassar, a two-time recipient in 2006 and
2007. Former Falcon QB Marc Eddy won the offensive version of the
award in both 2002 and 2004.