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Silvia Leads Contingent of 12 Bears on All-MASCAC Football Team

Silvia Leads Contingent of 12 Bears on All-MASCAC Football Team
Posted: Nov 17, 2022

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University senior linebacker Steven Silvia was named the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Defensive Player of the Year to highlight the Bears' 12 representatives on the 2022 All-MASCAC Football Team which was announced today by MASCAC Director of Media Relations, Emily Loux.

Silvia is making his fourth straight appearance on the All-MASCAC First Team as he also earned the honor in 2018, 2019 and 2021. He is the Bears' first four-time all-conference selection since BSU Hall of Famer Seto Berry garnered All-New England Football Conference (NEFC) accolades four straight years from 1997 to 2000.

Joining Silvia on the All-MASCAC First Team are senior linebacker Brendan Albert (Canton, Mass.), senior cornerback Jaren Alves (East Providence, R.I.), senior running back Adam Couch (Winchendon, Mass.), junior punter Shane Drake (Franklin, Mass.) and sophomore tight end Jalen Kopecky (Pawtucket, R.I.) garnered All-MASCAC First Team honors.

Senior left guard Matt Beyer (Cranston, R.I.), senior right tackle Alexander Byron (Tiverton, R.I.), senior quarterback James Cahoon (Buzzrds Bay. Mass.), senior defensive end Brian Campagna (Canton, Mass.), graduate center Mattheau Gaudet (Weymouth, Mass.) and senior wide receiver Kyle Torres (Waltham, Mass.) were named to the All-MASCAC Second Team to round out the Bears' 12 all-conference honorees.

Albert, Alves, Couch, Kopecky, Torres and Byron are all making their second straight appearance on the All-MASCAC Team, while Drake, Beyer, Cahoon, Campagna and Gaudet are first time honorees

Through ten games this season, Silvia has recorded 85 tackles (54 solo) with 13 tackles for loss, 2 1/2 sacks, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He currently leads the MASCAC and is tied for 33rd in all of Division III in solo tackles. Silvia also ranks second among the conference leaders in tackles for loss and third in total tackles.

Alberts checks in with a team-best 97 tackles (53 solo) with 5 ½ for loss, one sack and two forced fumbles to go along with a game-saving blocked field in a 20-19 win over Framingham State University. Albert is tied for the MASCAC lead in forced fumbles and ranks second in tackles and solo tackles. He is also currently tied for 34th in all of Division III in total tackles per game (9.7).

Alves recorded three interceptions, broke up seven passes, recovered a fumble and notched 33 tackles (23 solo) during the regular season. He ranks third in the MASCAC in interceptions and fourth in passes defended (10).

Couch carried the ball 182 times for 978 yards and nine touchdowns in 2022 before his season was cut short due to injury. Couch ranks third in the MASCAC in rushing yards, yards per carry, rushing touchdowns and scoring (60 pts.). He is also 35th in all of Division III in rushing yards.

Drake is on pace to break the school single-season punting record as he is averaging 42.9 yards on 36 punts with nine inside the 20 and a long of 66. Eight of his punts went for over 50 yards and he also converted 5 of 7 field goal attempts and is averaging 58.0 yards on 59 kickoffs with 11 touchbacks. Drake is currently sixth in all of Division III in punting average.

Through ten games this season, Kopecky has pulled down 22 receptions for 317 yards and four touchdowns while also providing outstanding blocking from the tight end position. Kopecky also has a pair of rushing touchdowns to his credit.

Beyer, Byron and Gaudet paved the way for 4,148 yards of total offense in ten games during the 2022 regular season, including 2,468 yards through the air and 1,680 on the ground. The Bears' have averaged 31.7 points a game thanks in part to the outstanding play of the offensive line led by the all-conference trio. Bridgewater presently ranks second in the MASCAC in scoring, total offense and passing offense as well as third in rushing offense, first downs (207) and third down converson percentage(42%). 

Cahoon has completed 192 of 312 pass attempts for a school single-season record 2,409 yards and 22 touchdowns. He ranks second in the MASCAC in completions, attempts, passing yards and passing touchdowns. He is also third among the conference leaders in completion percentage (61.5%) and pass efficiency rating (145.2). On the national level, Cahoon is 31st in all of Division III in passing yards, tied for 33rd in completions per game (19.2), tied for 35th in passing touchdowns and ranks 45th in total offense (246.8 ypg).

Campagna has recorded 38 tackles with 20 solo stops, three sacks and 4 1/2 tackles for loss. He is currently tied for eighth in the MASCAC in sacks.

Torres checks in with 36 receptions for 479 yards and four as he is averaging 13.3 yards per catch. He ranks fourth among the conference leaders in receptions, sixth in receiving yards and is tied for eighth in receiving touchdowns.

Bridgewater State placed the most student-athletes on the All-MASCAC Football Team with 12, while Framingham State University checked in with 11 and MASCAC champion UMass Dartmouth followed with nine all-conference selections. Plymouth State University and Western Connecticut State University were each represented with eight student-athletes on the All-MASCAC Team.

The BSU football team wrapped up the 2022 regular season with an overall record of 6-4 and finished tied for second place in the MASCAC standings with a 6-2 conference mark. The Bears will take Catholic University in the New England Bowl on Saturday at noon from Swenson Field.

2022 All-MASCAC Football Team (PDF)

  • Silvia has started and played in all 41 games over the course of his outstanding four-year career. He enters Saturday's New England Bowl with 319 career tackles (207 solo), 37 tackles for loss, 7 1/2 sacks, five interceptions, 12 pass breakups, four forced fumbles, six recovered fumbles and one blocked kick. Silvia also returned a fumble for a touchdown in last season's Cranberry Bowl.
  • Alves has also played in all 41 games (38 starts) over the course of his impressove four-year collegiate career. He has 121 tackles (82 solo) to his credit including six tackles for loss, to go along with eight interceptions and 36 pass breakups
  • Torres has amassed 78 receptions for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns in 30 career games. He ranks 12th all-time in BSU football history in both receptions and receiving touchdowns, and 13th in receiving yards. 
  • Byron and Gaudet are also four-years players who first suited up in a BSU uniform back in 2018.
  • Couch has rushed for 1998 yards and 22 touchdowns over his first two seasons with the Bears. He also has 28 receptions for 297 yards and a receiving touchdown. Couch ranks tenth all-time at Bridgewater State in rushing touchdowns and 13th in rushing yards.
  • Kopecky heads into Saturday's game with 32 career catches from the tight end position for 408 yards and five touchdowns to go along with four rushing touchdowns.
  • Albert has started all 20 games over his first two seasons with 207 tackles (123 solo), 20 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, seven forced fumbles, two recovered fumbles and one blocked kick. He returned two fumbles for touchdowns last season.
  • Cahoon has thrown for 4,717 career yards and 40 touchdowns in 22 career games. He is presently the Bears' all-time leader in completion percentage (.578) and ranks third in passing yards, completions (370) and efficiency rating (135.66). Cahoon is also sixth in BSU football history in passing touchdowns.
  • Campagna has started each of the last 20 games on the defensive line and checks in with 85 career tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and 8 1/2 tackles for loss.