CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Assumption University junior defensive lineman Jhensen Touze is this week's recipient of the New England Football Writers Association Gold Helmet Awards presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Touze, from West Orange, N.J., and a graduate of West Orange High School, led the Greyhounds with 11 tackles, including seven solo stops, to help lead Assumption to a 23-20 upset of Super Region 1 fourth-ranked Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship. Included in Touze's total were 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Assumption held IUP scoreless in the second half as the Greyhounds rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit. 

For the eleventh 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. The awards will be presented at the NEFW Captains and Awards Banquet on December 11, at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center.
 
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.
 
2025 NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION
WEEKLY GRINOLD CHAPTER GOLD HELMET AWARD RECIPIENTS
                                                            Division I (FBS/FCS)                                     Division II/III
September 7 (Weeks 1 & 2)             Dylan Lonergan, Boston College                Harrison Hensley, Coast Guard
September 14                                   AJ Duffy, New Haven                                    Israel Hiraldo, Post
September 21                                   Carlton Thai, Merrimack                             Sean Burns, Coast Guard
September 28                                   Jack Snyder, Sacred Heart                         Jay Kastantin, Assumption
October 5                                          Elias Archie, Brown                                     Matt Fitzsimons, Wesleyan
October 12                                        Mitchell Summers, Sacred Heart                Ryan Lynskey, Bates
October 19                                        Joe Fagnano, UConn                                  Montie Quinn, Curry
October 26                                        Matt Vezza, New Hampshire                       Dominic Hess, MIT
November 2                                      Skyler Bell, Connecticut                              Matt Fitzsimons, Wesleyan
November 9                                      Bryun Parham, Connecticut                        Damien Jones, UNE
November 16                                    Matt Vezza, New Hampshire                       Mekhi Wilson, UMass Dartmouth 
November 23                                    Joe Fagnano, Connecticut                          Jhensen Touze, Assumption  
 
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