CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Bates sophomore running back
Ryan Lynskey earned the College Division Gold Helmet Award for the top performance by a New England Division II or III football player this week, announced Sunday by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) carried the ball 20 times for 344 yards and three touchdowns Saturday against Bowdoin. His 344 rushing yards broke the NESCAC and the Bates record for rushing yards in one game.
The conference record was previously held by Trinity College's Thomas Pierandri, who rushed for 304 yards against Wesleyan in 2003. The previous Bates record was held by
Sean Atkins '03, who ran for 302 yards against Bowdoin in 2002.
Lynskey had TD runs of 72, 54, and 95 yards. His 95-yard run is the second-longest run in Bates football history, which dates back to the 19th century.
Lynskey's performance puts him at 1,018 rushing yards on the season, the first Bates 1,000-yard rusher since Atkins in 2002.
University of New Hampshire graduate student safety Wande Owens won the University Division Gold Helmet for Division I (FBS/FCS) teams.
Lynskey is the first Bates football player since
Brendan Costa '22 in 2021 to receive the Gold Helmet Award.
At the conclusion of the season, the New England Football Writers presents its annual Captains' and Awards Banquet. This year's banquet is scheduled for Thursday, December 12, and will be held at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center. The weekly Gold Helmet recipients will be honored at the banquet.
For the tenth 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. For more information on the Gold Helmet Awards and the New England Football Writers Association, please visit www.newenglandfootballwriters.com, and for more information on the Grinold Chapter, please visit www.grinoldchapter.com.
