WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- The NEC announced its weekly award winners on Monday afternoon. Following its first win as a Division I program, New Haven saw QB
AJ Duffy (St. Augustine, Fla./Rancho Verde) and DB
Liam Godwin (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) earn Offensive and Co-Defensive Player of the Week awards.
Duffy became the first player this season to take home multiple NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Offensive Player of the Week awards as the junior previously earned the distinction following New Haven's first-ever game as a Division I program last month. The Floridian piloted the Chargers to a 24-17 win — their first as a Division I member — at CAA opponent UAlbany on Saturday after he threw for 180 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. Following a field goal on New Haven's first possession, Duffy went to work and led his team to touchdowns on their next three drives, including a 12-yard pass to
Matt Chandler (Oviedo, Fla./East Coast Prep), a three-yard dish to
Evan Chieca (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) and a 21-yarder to
Nikkem Reynolds (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips). Those scores put New Haven up by a comfortable 24-0 cushion with 5:01 left in the first half. Duffy, who leads the league with 125 pass attempts, is tied for first in the conference stats with six touchdowns.
Godwin's efforts on defense helped New Haven make program history on Saturday. The Garden State product posted 11 tackles, including eight solo stops, to lead the Chargers past UAlbany by a 24-17 final for their first-ever win as a Division I member. In addition, Godwin added one forced fumble and an interception to his stat line. With his team up early by a 10-0 count, Godwin, a junior defensive back, came away with his first pick of the season late in the first quarter. That defensive stop led to a 14-play, 53-yard Chargers' drive in the second quarter that was capped by an
Evan Chieca (Lindenhurst, N.Y./Lindenhurst) touchdown. Godwin is the first New Haven player to take home NEC/Atlantic Tomorrow's Office Defensive Player of the Week distinction.
New Haven hosts Saginaw Valley State University on Saturday, Sept. 20, for its first home game of the season.
