New Hampshire’s Mezza, UMass Dartmouth’s Wilson Named 2025 Week 12  Recipients of NEFW/Grinold Chapter Gold Helmet Awards

University of New Hampshire sophomore quarterback Matt Vezza and UMass Dartmouth junior running back Mekhi Wilson are this week’s recipients of the New England Football Writers Association Gold Helmet Awards presented by the Jack Grinold/Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Vezza, a native of Elmhurst, Ill., and a graduate of York High School, threw for career highs of 328 yards and five TD passes including four in the first half, to propel UNH to a 42-14 victory at Bryant. Vezza’s 27 completions also marked a personal best. Vezza led UNH to a touchdown each of the first four drives of the game to fuel a 28-7 lead midway through the second quarter. On those four drives, Vezza completed 12 of 13 passes for 216 yards and four TDs. 

.Jones, from Narragansett, R.I., and a graduate of Narraganset High School, posted a career-high 218 yards on 23 carries with five rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown to account for all six Corsair touchdowns in a 42-21 upset win over Plymouth State University. Wilson eclipsed the single season record for rushing touchdowns in a season with 18, surpassing the previous mark of 16, and tied a single game record of five rushing touchdowns while breaking the 1,000 yard mark. 

For the eleventh consecutive 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 Grinold Chapter, please visit www.grinoldchapter.com. 

2025 NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION

WEEKLY GRINOLD CHAPTER GOLD HELMET AWARD RECIPIENTS

Division I (FBS/FCS)  

September 7   Dylan Lonergan, Boston College

September 14 AJ Duffy, New Haven 

September 21 Carlton Thai, Merrimack

September 28 Jack Snyder, Sacred Heart

October 5 Elias Archie, Brown

October 12 Mitchell Summers, Sacred Heart 

October 19 Joe Fagnano, UConn

October 26 Matt Vezza, New Hampshire

November 2 Skyler Bell, Connecticut

November 9 Bryun Parham, Connecticut

November 16 Matt Vezza, New Hampshire

Division II/III

September 7   Harrison Hensley, Coast Guard

September 14 Israel Hiraldo, Post

September 21 Sean Burns, Coast Guard 

September 28 Jay Kastantin, Assumption

October 5 Matt Fitzsimons, Wesleyan

October 12 Ryan Lanskey, Bates

October 19 Montie Quinn, Curry

October 26 Dominic Hess, MIT

November 2 Matt Fitzsimons, Wesleyan

November 9 Damien Jones, U of New England

November 16 Mekhi Wilson, UMass Dartmouth