Courtesy Massachusetts Maritime Sports Information

Buzzards Bay, Mass. --  Massachusetts Maritime senior linebacker Walter Butler continues to earn accolades for his outstanding campaign on the gridiron this past fall, as he is one of 28 student-athletes, including six representing the New England Football Conference, to be named to the 2011 New England Football Writers Association Division II-III All-Star team that was announced late last week.

A native of Bourne, Mass. and a graduate of Bishop Stang High School, Butler is the fourth Buccaneer to earn a spot on the prestigious NEFW squad and the first in 12 seasons to receive all-New England recognition, as he joins Kevin Piecewicz ’94, Paul Diamantopoulos ’96 and Tim Zaniboni ’00 in that exclusive club.  Butler will receive his honor on Thursday, December 8^th at the New England Football Writers Annual Banquet at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham, Mass.

Butler was named earlier this month as the 2011 New England Football Conference Bogan Division Defensive Player of the Year, as he ranked second on Head Coach Jeremy Cameron’s squad in total tackles with 67, including 51 solo stops and 17 tackles for losses of 60 yards.  Butler added three sacks, nine quarterback hurries and a pair of pass break-ups while returning a fumble recovery 48 yards for a touchdown in Massachusetts Maritime’s 34-6 Admiral’s Cup victory over Maine Maritime on October 22^nd.  In addition, Butler led all players in NCAA Division III play nationally in forced fumbles with six on the season, as he also ranked 14^th in the country in tackles for losses.  A two-time selection as NEFC Defensive Player of the Week this fall, Walter was one of seven individuals featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces In The Crowd” column on November 7^th for his efforts, becoming the second Buccaneer in two years to appear in the prestigious national publication.

Joining Butler on this year’s New England Football Writers Division II-III All-Star team from the New England Football Conference are Framingham State’s Dan Fox and Melikke Van Alstyne, Westfield State’s Ryan O’Connell, Endicott’s Kevin Eagan and Salve Regina’s Andrew McNeice.

Massachusetts Maritime posted its first outright winning season in 11 years under Cameron’s tutelage this fall with a 5-4 mark, including the Buccaneers’ first Admiral’s Cup victory since 2003.  Massachusetts Maritime was also the only team to have defeated New England Football Conference champion Western New England in regular season play after a season-opening 19-14 triumph on September 10^th.