Staten Island, NY – Wagner freshman running back Rickey Spruill has been named the Northeast Conference's (NEC) Rookie of the Week, the league announced on Monday afternoon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wagner College Football (@wagner_football)

 
Spruill ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter in last Saturday's game against Merrimack.
 
For Spruill, who scored from five yards out with 5:10 to play in the first quarter and from one yard away on the final play of the quarter, it was the first two-touchdown game of his collegiate career. On the day, Spruill finished with 65 yards rushing on 14 carries. 

✅ First multi-touchdown game of his career
✅ First @NECFootball Rookie of the Week award for @RickeySpruill pic.twitter.com/DcljWFkhdP

— Wagner College Football (@Wagner_Football) November 8, 2021

 
As a team, the Seahawks rushed for a season-high 367 yards, the first game with more than 300 yards on the ground since the season finale in 2018, when Wagner ran for 321 yards in a 41-7 victory over Robert Morris. 
 
Saturday also marked the first time a Wagner running back rushed for two scores since Dymitri McKenzie accomplished the feat in the Seahawks' 2019 season-opener at FBS member UConn.
 
The first-year Seahawk has now rushed for 398 yards, which is good for seventh in the conference, and three touchdowns in eight games this season.
 
The Morrisville, PA native becomes the first Seahawk to earn an NEC weekly award since Eric Silvester earned Special Teams Player of the Week in October 2019 and first Wagner freshman to pick up Rookie of the Week honors since current senior captain Titus Leo earned the award for his performance against Saint Francis U in October 2018.
 
Against Merrimack, Leo finished the day with a team-high nine tackles and three tackles for loss, including one sack, earning him NEC PrimePerformer honors in the process.
 
Leo, the reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year, is first in the NEC in tackles for loss with 1.7 stops behind the line of scrimmage per game, which is also good for seventh in the nation. Leo is currently also second in the conference in sacks (.78 per game) and fourth in the NEC in total tackles (6.6 per game).
 
Wagner will close out the 2021 regular season with a road matchup at Sacred Heart next Saturday at noon and a senior day clash against Duquesne on November 20 at noon.