WALTHAM, Mass. – Bentley University linebacker Cole McCubrey (Boylston/Tahanto Reg. HS) has been named the Defensive Player of the Week in the Northeast-10 Conference following his outstanding performance in the Falcons' 35-27 road win over previously unbeaten American International College.

McCubrey had a team-best nine tackles, a 45-yard pick-six that restored the Falcon lead to 14 with 5:17 remaining, and a forced fumble.

McCubrey, a graduate student who transferred from UMass, leads the 4-0 Falcons in tackles with 49, one more than teammate Salvatore Lupoli Jr. (Chelmsford/Chelmsford HS). Both the interception and the forced fumble in Saturday's game were his second of the season.

The six-foot, 230-pounder appeared in 39 career games at UMass, making a total of 166 tackles. He had a team-high 33 tackles in four games last fall and also led the Minutemen with 84 tackles in 2019, a season in which he started all 12 games.

This is the third straight week that Bentley has had the conference's Defensive Player of the Week. Senior defensive lineman Cedie Dashiell (Buena Park, Calif./Buena Park HS) earned the recognition the other two times.

Also honored by the conference this week, with selection to the NE10 Weekly Honor Roll, was junior tailback Nathaniel Larkins (Huntington, N.Y./John Glenn HS).

Larkins turned in another outstanding performance as he ran for 131 yards and two TD on 24 carries. His touchdowns covered nine and five yards. It was the third 100-yard performance of the season for Larkins, who topped 500 rushing yards for the season.

Bentley, ranked 24^th nationally in the AFCA Division II coaches poll, will play at Saint Anselm Saturday at 3:30 pm.