Eli Parks, Southern Connecticut State University football
It was an incredible senior season for this former St. Paul standout, and he is reaping the postseason awards for his efforts.
Parks was named Northeast-10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year, and he was chosen by the New England Football Writers College Division for their All-New England team. All Parks did was lead the NE-10 in carries (246), rushing yards (1,240), rushing yards per game (124), rushing touchdowns (12), all-purpose yards (1,374) and all-purpose yards per game (137.4). The two-time NE-10 Player of the Week scored an NE-10 best 78 points (12 rushing touchdowns, 1 receiving touchdown), and his 12 rushing touchdowns ranked him 25th nationally. Parks went over 100 yards rushing in eight of 10 games, including seven of 120 or more. Parks ran for four touchdowns in two different games, and his 1,240 rushing yards ranked 11th in all of NCAA Division II football.
That’s quite the season, and it’s one that Parks will remember for a long time.
Adam Razza, Western New England University football
All the sophomore wide receiver from Holy Cross did in his first NCAA Division III playoff game was haul in six passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Razza’s touchdown came on a trick-play pass and went for 68 yards. The Golden Bears lost their playoff game 42-24 to Frostburg State, but Razza gave it all he had in his first postseason appearance. His 68-yard touchdown reception was the longest pass play of the season for WNEU, and its second biggest play from scrimmage (69).
Razza led WNEU in total receiving yards (620), receiving yards per game (56.4) and average yards per reception (20.7). He was second on the team in receiving touchdowns (4) and third in receptions (30), The Golden Bears went 8-3 on the season, thanks in part to Razza’s efforts.
Pat Etter, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute football
Etter gets to play another game as an Engineer after RPI defeated Husson 38-14 in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Nov. 17. The Engineers take on the College of Brockport on the road on Saturday at noon. Etter played in the Husson game but didn’t have a catch.
For the season, the former St. Paul quarterback has six catches for 50 yards and one rush for four yards. He has seen increasingly more playing time since his freshman season at RPI, which he didn’t play. He traveled to five away games as a sophomore, then played in seven games as a junior and caught three passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Etter is a civil engineering major at RPI, and he is interning at HNTB, where he works on bridge analysis.
Lexi Kochin, Central Connecticut State University women’s soccer
The former Bristol Central leader played in her final college game on Nov. 10 when the Blue Devils lost 3-1 on the road at Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Kochin came off of the bench for CCSU in her final game.
Kochin was part of an historic season for the Blue Devils. CCSU compiled a 16-2-2 overall record, and the 16 wins were the second-highest total for a single season in program history. Along the way, the Blue Devils wrapped up their ninth Northeast Conference Tournament championship. It was the first NEC title for CCSU since 2014.
For the season, Kochin played in 19 of 20 games and made one start. She scored one goal and totaled two points for the season.
Justin Strielkauskas, Utica College men’s basketball
The 6-foot-4 junior from Holy Cross High School has started all three games for the Pioneers this season, and he has put together some solid efforts. He’s averaging a team-high eight rebounds per game, along with 8.7 points, in 28.7 minutes. Strielkauskas is an efficient 10-of-17 from the field this season.
On Tuesday, Strielkauskas tallied 11 points, 11 rebounds and two steals in a game against SUNY Poly. He was 3-of-5 from the field and 5-of-8 at the foul line in 21 minutes before fouling out. On Nov. 17 against Hilbert, Strielkauskas filled the stat sheet with eight points, seven rebounds, six blocks and one steal.
Strielkauskas is majoring in criminal justice.
Statistics and information compiled from the team website of each athlete/coach.
