Keutmann & Devine-Scott Earn Regional Honors from New England Football Writers & Gridiron Club of Greater Boston
Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Release
New England Football Writers Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Junior linebacker Erich Keutmann (Washingtonville, N.Y.) and sophomore safety Bailey Devine-Scott (Wattle Grove, Australia) of the Western New England University football team have both received regional recognition following the Golden Bears' 2019 campaign.
Keutmann was named the winner of the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston's 24th annual Joe Zabilski Award, which recognizes New England's top offensive and defensive players in Divisions II/III.
Additionally, both Keutmann and Devine-Scott were selected to the New England Football Writers College Division (DII/DIII) All-New England Team.
Keutmann, the CCC Football Co-Defensive Player of the Year, currently ranks fourth in NCAA Division III with 132 total tackles this season. The All-CCC first team honoree recorded 10+ tackles in eight of Western New England's 11 games. Nine of Keutmann's tackles resulted in a loss of yards, including four sacks.
He opened the season with 12 stops and a sack in the Golden Bears' victory over crosstown rival Springfield College on September 7, before making 23 tackles in Western New England's key win over Endicott on November 2. Keutmann followed that performance up with 19 tackles the following week at Becker as the Golden Bears clinched their fifth straight conference title. This past Saturday, he wrapped up his junior campaign with 13 tackles and a sack in Western New England's 33-28 loss to Brockport in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Devine-Scott was also an All-CCC first team selection following his breakout sophomore season. The Wattle Grove, Australia native led the conference with 14 pass breakups and ranked fourth on the team with 65 tackles (2 TFL).
Devine-Scott opened the season strong with 12 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and four pass breakups in Western New England's win over Springfield. Two games later, he made 11 stops in the Golden Bears' contest against NCAA Division I FCS program Stetson University. Devine-Scott broke up a career-high five passes in Western New England's 38-31 win over Salve Regina on October 19.
Keutmann and Devine-Scott will be honored at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 12 at Rosaria Restaurant in Saugus, Mass. The following week, Keutmann will receive the Joe Zabilski award at the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 19 at the Burlington Marriott Hotel.
Western New England (9-2, 7-0 CCC Football) won its third straight CCC title and fifth consecutive conference championship overall this season. The Golden Bears made their sixth all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament against Brockport on November 23.
