SPRINGFIELD, Mass., September 27, 2006 – The awards just keep rolling in for Springfield College’s Chris Sharpe.

As a result of his record-setting performance last Saturday during Springfield’s 41-34 victory over Alfred University at SC’s Benedum Field, Sharpe has received a number of awards. Earlier this week, the junior quarterback from Derry, N.H., was named the Empire 8 Conference Offensive Player of the Week and the ECAC Division III Northwest Offensive Player of the Week.

Sharpe has earned each of these awards twice in the past three weeks. And now he has earned one of the more prestigious awards a New England football player can receive – the Gold Helmet Award, also for a second time in the past three weeks. The Gold Helmet is bestowed weekly to a pair of New England college football players, one from Division I and a second from Division II/III.

Thus, for the second time in three weeks, Sharpe was honored today at the weekly New England Football Writers luncheon at the Dillon Field House at Harvard University.

Chris had an outstanding game versus Alfred last Saturday. He rushed for 235 yards and five touchdowns during the win, which upped the Pride’s overall record to 3-0 and its Empire 8 conference mark to 1-0. Sharpe’s TD runs were of five, eight, 12, 50, and 15 yards.

In that contest, Sharpe tied a school record for most rushing touchdowns scored in a single game. Also rushing for five TDs in a single-game was quarterback Kevin Cahill versus Cortland State on October 28, 2000, and fullback Tim Lutgens vs. Norwich on Nov. 8, 2003.

Springfield is now ranked 20th nationally in Don Hansen’s Football Gazette, and 25th in the D3football.com poll. In addition, for the second straight week, SC has been ranked #1 in the New England Division III Football Coaches Poll.

published: 09/27/2006