As we conclude the 2025 summer in the coming weeks, we are looking back at the best moments from the 2024-2025 academic year, today we share WPI football's Gavin Chieff as he was named to the D3football.com All-America Fourth Team in early January. 

Minneapolis, MN --- WPI's Gavin Chieff (Bernardsville, NJ) has been named an All-America by D3football.com, the program's third honoree in the over quarter century since the organization began bestowing the honor.  The senior drew fourth team accolades in the defensive backfield as the recipients were revealed this weekend leading up to the Division III championship game - The Stagg Bowl - Sunday evening at 8pm on ESPN.
 
The strong safety was one of four players from the NEWMAC to earn All-America status, joining the Springfield trio of running back Arsen Shtefan (Goshen, NY), offensive tackle Craig Connell (Goshen, NY) and linebacker Billy Carr (Southington, CT) and 11 overall from New England to receive recognition from D3football.com.
 
Chieff paced the NEWMAC in total tackles (94) and placed second in solo stops (60), averaging 9.4 tackles per game. The strong safety added a career-best four interceptions in 2024, upping his career total to seven.  For his career, Chieff amassed 232 tackles, including 164 solo stops, one sack, one fumble recovery, and a blocked field goal in 34 appearances.

The senior was honored twice during the season as the NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week, first following WPI's victory over Norwich on September 28th when he had eight tackles, an interception and a pass breakup in a 14-0 shutout of the Cadets and then again after WPI's November 9th game at Salve Regina after registering a career-high 19 tackles and snatching an interception versus the Seahawks.
 
Chieff had a busy postseason awards season as the New Jersey native, picking up a first team All-NEWMAC nod after second-team honors in 2023, and then being selected to the New England Football Writers (NEFW) 2024 College Division All-New England team.  He joins Ernie Mello (2011 - 1st team - Special Teams) and Brian Murtagh (2016 - 4th Team Linebacker) as WPI D3football.com All-Americans.

D3football.com All-America Release