BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – For the fourth time this season, Bridgewater State University graduate goalkeeper William Russell has been selected as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

Russell backstopped the Bears to a pair of shutouts in a perfect 2-0 week. The Sandwich, Massachusetts product made six saves in a 6-0 MASCAC shutout victory over Westfield State University and turned aside two shots in a 3-0 shutout win over UMass Dartmouth.

In 18 games this season, Russell is 12-2-4 with seven shutouts and a 0.84 goals against average in 1,610-plus minutes (1610:26) of work. He has turned aside 108 shots and currently sports an .878 save percentage.

Russell presently leads the MASCAC in minutes played, wins, saves and goals against average. He is also second among the conference leaders in shutouts and save percentage.

On a national level, Russell is currently eighth in all of Division III in save percentage and is tied for 14th in saves. He is also tied for 34th in shutouts and ranks 40th in minutes played.

In 48 games over four seasons at Bridgewater State, Russell is 25-14-8 with 14 1/2 shutouts, a 1.13 goals against average, 287 saves and an .844 save percentage in just under 4,224 minutes (4223:53) of work. He is second among the Bears' all-time goaltending leaders in goals against average and is fifth in both wins and shutouts.

Russell also earned the MASCAC weekly honor on September 18th, October 9th and October 23rd.

The BSU men's soccer team is currently 12-2-5 on the season. By virtue of the MASCAC Tournament championship, the Bears will advance to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the seventh time in program history and first since 2018. The 64-team national tournament will get underway on Friday. The selection show announcing the pairings will air this afternoon at two o'clock on ncaa.com.