Springfield College graduate student Arsen Shtefan (West Hartford, Conn.) has been named to the Associated Press (AP) Division III Football All-America First Team after a historic 2024 campaign on Alden Street.

The two-time defending NEWMAC Offensive Athlete of the Year, Shtefan recorded a Division III leading 1,716 yards on the ground this fall. His 1,716 yards are the most for Springfield since Jordan Wilcox posted 1,786 yards in 2017. Shtefan also ranked third in the nation in rushing touchdowns with 21 and fifth in the country with 132 rushing yards per game. In four years on Alden Street, Shtefan appeared in 42 games and rushed 647 times for 3,869 yards to go along with 39 touchdowns. Shtefan averaged 6.06 yards per rush this year, which ranked 28th nationally, and 5.98 yards per rush for his career. Over the past four seasons, Springfield has produced an unblemished record of 26-0 in conference contests and an overall record of 37-10.
 
As a team, Springfield's rushing offense averaged 427.5 yards per game, which ranked first across all NCAA Divisions this fall. The Pride also ranked second in third down conversions (0.591), fifth in first downs (312) and ninth in time of possession (33:48).

This season, Shtefan guided Springfield to its fourth consecutive NEWMAC Championship title and to a program record 12 wins. After winning the NEWMAC title, 55-20, at Maritime, Springfield earned a first round bye in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The Pride hosted a second-round game on Stagg Field against UMass-Dartmouth defeating the Corsairs, 54-27, before dethroning the defending national champions and second-ranked Cortland on the road, 40-28, in the third round of the tournament.

About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.

(Story courtesy of Springfield Sports Information)