Most-Ever 13 Jumbos Named to NESCAC Football All-Conference Squad - Tufts University (2024)

MEDFORD, MA (November 28, 2023) – Thirteen Tufts University football players have been named to the 2023 New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC ) All-Conference team announced today.

This year's haul of honors is three more than last season when the Jumbos had their most All-NESCAC recipients at the time with 10.

Senior wide receiver Jaden Richardson topped the Jumbo awards as he was selected Co-Offensive Player of the Year. Richardson was also on the first team where he's joined by senior offensive guard Travis Cepalia, senior defensive lineman Ed Iuteri, senior linebacker EJ Comerford and junior safety Louis Timmins. Junior Aundre Smith is the league's first team return specialist.

Second team selections went to junior quarterback Michael Berluti, junior running back Chartellis Reece, junior receiver Cade Moore, graduate center Blair Horning, senior defensive tackle Michael Butler, senior linebacker Shane Reiner and senior cornerback Vic Garza.

Eight of the Jumbos were repeat honorees. Cepalia, Comerford, Iuteri and Timmins were all first-team selections last year. Horning received his third All-Conference award after making second team last year and first team in 2021. Berluti was on the first team last year, while Smith took first team accolades in 2021. Garza is on the second team for the second straight year. This year's recognition is the first for Butler, Reece, Moore, Reiner and Richardson.

Richardson was one of the most exciting players in the nation for Division III, hauling in 46 receptions for 830 yards and 13 touchdowns this fall. Tufts' all-time receiving touchdowns leader (20), Richardson had six catches for 146 yards and three touchdowns in Tufts' opener at Trinity College. He also put up 10-153-3 and 4-147-2 numbers versus Williams College and Wesleyan University, respectively. He averaged 18.0 yards per catch and 92.2 yards per game.

The Jumbo offense ranked second in the league for both scoring 31.1 points and gaining 420.4 yards per game. Cepalia and Horning led a line that paved the way as Tufts topped NESCAC with 187.9 rushing yards per game. Reece was the top backstatistically in the league with 808 yards while adding eight touchdowns. Berluti passed for 224.4 yards per game and 19 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions (133.1 efficiency). Moore's five touchdown receptions were seventh in NESCAC and came out of 41 catches for 505 yards.

Tufts led NESCAC in fewest yards allowed defensively this season, giving up 250.8 per game. Iuteri was a force in the middle of the line, finishing with 26 tackles, 6.5 tackles for losses and four sacks while swatting away two passes. Buter was a similar veteran presence on the line who had 19 tackles, four TFL's and two sacks. In the middle of the defensive, Reiner led the Jumbos in tackles (46) including seven TFL's and four sacks. Comerford followed at 44 stops with 4.5 TFL's while breaking up three balls in pass coverage. Tufts was the NESCAC's top pass defense,allowing145.2 yards and just eight scores through the air. Timmins was among the league leaders in passes defended with four picks and six PBU's, to go with 22 tackles. Garza recorded 20 tackles, a sack and four PBU's.

On special teams, Smith led the league with an average of 7.4 yards on punt returns and also had a 19.9-yard average on 11 kickoff returns.

Tufts finished its 2023 schedule at 6-3 for third place in the NESCAC. They received votes in the final New England Division III Top 10 poll.

See the full 2023 NESCAC Football All-Conference Team HERE.

--JUMBOS--