MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – The 2025 NESCAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year
Dylan Connors '26 of the Wesleyan football team can now add First Team All-American to his career resume as the senior safety was named to the squad as announced by the American Football Coaches Association on Wednesday morning.
A landmark achievement for Connors and the Cardinals, he becomes just the sixth Cardinal in team history, and first since Matt Perceval '00 in 1999, to earn First Team All-American honors. He joins a list that includes Perceval (1999), John McVicar (1977, 1978), Bob Heller (1972, 1973), Jack Geary (1948), and Bert Vanderclute (1946) as Wesleyan players to earn First Team All-American honors.
Connors is the only player in the NESCAC who was named an All-American by the AFCA as he completed his career with back-to-back First Team All-NESCAC selections, helping lead the best statistical defense in the conference to consecutive NESCAC Championships, while he was also named All-New England by the New England Football Writers Association for the second straight year.
He posted 51 tackles (35 solo) in nine games this season to go along with four tackles for loss, seven pass breakups, two interceptions, and one blocked punt which he returned 22 yards for a touchdown against Amherst. Connors' all-around ability shined in the win over the Mammoths as he posted six tackles, one TFL, two pass breakups, and the blocked punt and return for TD. He finished up his career with 145 career tackles, five interceptions, 26 pass breakups, and four touchdowns (two INT returns, two blocked punt and recovery TDs).
