BM
Brian Murtagh
  • Class of 2017
  • Wayland, Mass.

Brian Murtagh of Wayland, Mass., Claims All-East Region Selection from D3football.com

2016 Dec 6

WPI senior Brian Murtagh has been named to the D3football.com All-East Region team. Brian Murtagh picked up first team accolades as a linebacker while Blaine Bursey garnered third team honors as a placekicker.

Murtagh, who was third team last fall, becomes the first Engineer to earn multiple all-region awards from the website. The league leader in total tackles (118), solo tackles (80) and tackles per game (11.8) made double-digit stops in eight of 10 games with a season-high 15 at MIT and again against Union. He also totaled 11 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and three pass breakups on the season. For his career, Murtagh amassed 378 tackles with 242 solo 24.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, six interceptions, 10 pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.

The senior was a first team All-Liberty League pick the past three seasons and a two-time New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team selection.

Bursey, a repeat first team All-Liberty League placekicker, led his peers with 10 field goals on 12 attempts and 12 touchbacks. He was also first among kickers, and third among all student-athletes, in total points with 63, including 33 PATs on 36 tries. In 41 games, Bursey made 24 field goals and 105 PATs for a total of 177 points. The two-time Fred Mitchell September honoree was considered for the 2016 season-ending award.

It marks just the second time that WPI has had multiple winners as the duo joins Ernie Mello '12 and John Perron '12 from 2011.

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation's first engineering and technology universities. Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. WPI's talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics. Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university's innovative Global Projects Program. There are more than 45 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.