HENNIKER, N.H. - Junior Ethan Cenesca (Manchester, N.H.) of the New England College football team was named the Conference of New England (CNE) Defensive Player of the Week for the opening week of the season ending on September 6th.  

Cenesca turned in a monster performance against Plymouth State on Saturday, leading the team with 13 total tackles – 4.5 of which were tackles-for-loss. His 13 tackles matched a career-high while the 4.5 tackles-for-loss are a new career-best. 

The junior captain filled the stat sheet against the Panthers, recording his first sack of the season.. In the fourth quarter, one of his four-and-a-half tackles-for-loss came on fourth down as he helped turn the Panthers over for a late-game offensive opportunity.

Despite the 28-14 loss, Cenesca was all over the field for the Pilgrims in one of the team's best defensive efforts to date. On the week, the linebacker ranked tied for first in the CNE in tackles, first in tackles-for-loss, and is tied for third in the conference in sacks.

Coming off a 2025 campaign where he totaled 78 tackles and earned First Team All-CNE honors, Cenesca picked up right where he left off and looks to continue ascending in year two. The Pilgrims travel to MIT for their next game on Saturday, September 12th. 

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