BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University senior punter Shane Drake has been selected to the 2023 New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team.

In ten games this season, Drake averaged 41.2 yards on 43 punts with 13 inside the 20 and a long of 60. Five of his punts went for over 50 yards. Drake also averaged 58.2 yards on 54 kickoffs with 19 touchbacks.

Drake led the MASCAC in 2023 in punting yards (1,772), punting average, punts inside the 20 and fair catches (14). He is also currently 11th in all of Division III in punting average.

Drake averaged 41.8 yards on 82 punts over the last two seasons after taking over the punting duties following his rookie campaign of 2021. All told, he has placed 23 punts inside the 20 and has 13 punts over 50 yards. The Bears' all-time leader in punting average, Drake also averaged 57.5 yards on 159 kickoffs in 31 career games and connected on 11 of 16 points after tries as well as 7 of 14 field goal attempts. 

The BSU football team wrapped up the 2023 season with an overall record of 7-3 and captured a share of the MASCAC title with a 7-1 conference mark. The Bears capped off the season with a 48-6 win over Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the 44th Annual Cranberry Bowl.

Last week, Drake was among ten Bears selected to the All-MASCAC Team as he garnered All-MASCAC First Team honors for the second straight season.

Joining Drake on this year's New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team from the MASCAC are Framingham State's Devaun Ford (RB) and Jared Martino (LB); Trell Best (DB) from UMass Dartmouth and Patrick Adams (OL) from Western Connecticut State.

The team will be honored at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 7, at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center. Reservations must be made no later than Friday, December 1, and may be made at https://newenglandfootballwriters.com/captains-%26-awards-banquet. Tickets are $70/person. Reservations are made on-line only and are non-refundable

-- 2023 New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team (PDF) --