Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter
National Football Foundation
New Hampshire’s Vezza, MIT’s Hess Named 2025 Week 9 Recipients of NEFW/Grinold Chapter Gold Helmet Awards
University of New Hampshire sophomore quarterback Matt Vezza and MIT junior defensive back Dominic Hess are this week’s recipients of the New England Football Writers Association Gold Helmet Awards presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Vezza, a native of Elmhurst, Ill., and a graduate of York High School, threw for career highs of 280 yards and three touchdowns, while also running for a career-high 99 yards to lead UNH to Saturday’s 34-24 CAA win against visiting William & Mary. He engineered six scoring drives on eight possessions as the Wildcats did not punt. Vezza’s 63-yard TD pass tied the score, 7-7 at 8:52 of the first quarter and his 17-yard touchdown toss established the first double-digit lead of the game, 24-14, at 8:03 of the third quarter. A 48-yard completion reestablished a 10-point advantage, 31-21, with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.
Hess, from Damascus, Md., and a graduate of Damascus High School, snared a pair of second quarter interceptions including a 39-yard pick six to help the Engineers to a 28-20 NEWMAC victory over Salve Regina. The score put MIT ahead 21-6 at the time. His second pick with a return of 28 yards ended the first half. Hess also added eight tackles, including six solo stops, on the day. Hess has now recorded back-to-back games with two interceptions giving him a career-high four on the season.
For the eleventh straight year, the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation is the presenting sponsor for both the weekly and end-of-year Gold Helmet Awards presented to student-athletes from FBS, FCS, Division II and Division III institutions throughout New England. The awards will be presented at the NEFW Captains and Awards Banquet on December 11, at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center.
For more information on the Gold Helmet Awards and the New England Football Writers Association, please visit www.newenglandfootballwriters.com.
SIXTH 2025 GRINOLD CHAPTER NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III FOOTBALL WEEKLY RANKINGS RELEASED
The sixth Grinold Chapter New England Division III Football Coaches poll of the 2025 season has been released, and Endicott College retains the spot at the top of the rankings. The Gulls hold the #1 position for the fourth consecutive week. The Conference of New England and the New England Small College Athletic Conference lead the way with three teams each in the top 10.
Endicott received nine of 12 first place votes to top second place Trinity College, which received one first-place vote, by 24 points. The University of New England is in third place followed by Springfield (one first place vote) and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in a tie for the fourth position. The poll is rounded out by Plymouth, Curry, Williams, Wesleyan and Framingham.
The New England Division III Football Poll is presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation, which also serves as the title sponsor of the weekly Gold Helmet Awards presented by the New England Football Writers Association throughout the season.
A panel representing four New England Division III playing conferences serve as voters in this year’s poll, and rankings will be released each week through November 18th. Members of this year’s voting panel are Nat Clark (Husson), Jason Lebeau (Western New England), Mike Lichten (University of New England), Jeremy Cameron (Massachusetts Maritime), Tom Kelley (Framingham), and Joe Verria (Bridgewater), Jack Cosgrove (Colby), Jeff Devanney (Trinity), Jay Civetti (Tufts), Kevin Gilmartin (Salve Regina), C.C. Grant (Coast Guard) and Chris Robertson (WPI),
GRINOLD CHAPTER NEW ENGLAND DIVISION III FOOTBALL POLL
Poll #6 – October 28, 2025
Rank School (First Place Votes), Record, Points, Previous Rank
1 Endicott (10), 6-1, 118, 1
2 Trinity (1), 6-1, 94, 2
3 University of New England, 6-1, 92, 3
4 (tie) Springfield (1), 5-2, 78, 4
Coast Guard, 6-1, 78, 5
6 Plymouth, 6-1, 51, 7th tie
7 Curry, 6-1, 46, receiving votes
8 Williams, 5-2, 37, 6
9 Wesleyan, 5-2, 33, receiving votes
10Framingham, 5-2, 18, 7th tie
Also Receiving Votes: Anna Maria (13), Salve Regina (2)
Belmont Hill's Onuoha Named to NFF Team of Distinction
Belmont Hill School senior Sampson Onuoha has been named as the
Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football
Foundation representative for the NFF’s Team of Distinction that
recognizes standout performers in competition, in the classroom and
in the community throughout the country.
A resident of Hyde Park, Onuoha earned all-NEPSAC and all-ISL
honors on the defensive line in each of his final two seasons at
Belmont Hill, where he was a three-year letterwinner. The second-
ranked recruit in the state of Massachusetts last fall, Sampson
earned Boston Herald all-scholastic accolades in 2024 after matriculating from the United Kingdom. Prior to his arrival in the United States, he had never played football before his sophomore season, and he will now travel south to continue his playing and educational career at Duke University.
A three-sport athlete at Belmont Hill, Onuoha was also a letterwinner in wrestling and track & field. He was a member of the Venture Capital Group, Business Club and Brother 2 Brother (Black Affinity Group).