BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Bridgewater State University senior Matt Green has been selected as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Football Special Teams Player of the Week.
Green set a BSU and New England Division III single-game record by returning two punts for touchdowns in the Bears' 51-27 MASCAC win on the road over Worcester State University this past weekend. The Stoughton, Massachusetts product returned a punt 66 yards for a score in the third quarter and added a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the final period.
All told, Green amassed 317 all-purpose yards including 129 on four punt returns and 60 on three kickoff returns. He also caught nine passes for 128 yards and two more scores. Green hauled in TD receptions of 15 and 45 yards as he accounted for 24 of the Bears' 51 points.
Through three games this season, Green leads all of NCAA Division III in all-purpose yards with 728, and is tied for first in punt return touchdowns with two. He also ranks 15th in Division III in punt return average (18.4 yds).
Green has also caught 29 passes for 373 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks second in all of Division III in receptions, tenth in receiving yards and is tied for 12th in receiving touchdowns and tied for 19th in scoring (36 pts.).
The Bears' all-time leader in terms of pass receptions, Green has 134 career catches for 2,238 yards and 26 touchdowns. He is within 404 yards of BSU Hall of Famer Andy Macaione's (1997-2000) program mark of 2,642 receiving yards. Green is also second all-time in touchdown catches trailing only Macaione who finished with 37.
Last season, Green set BSU single-season receiving records with 69 catches for 1,315 yards and 16 touchdowns. He ranked second in Division III in receiving yards per game (131.5), fourth in touchdown receptions and 11th in all-purpose yards (176.8 ypg). Green also set or tied single-game program records for touchdowns (5 vs. Worcester State) and receptions (12 vs. Mass. Maritime).
The 2014 BSU football team is currently 2-1 on the season. The Bears host MASCAC foe Fitchburg State University on Friday night at Swenson Field. Kickoff is slated for seven o'clock.