Dereck Pacheco of Hyannis, Mass., Adds D3football.com, ECAC Weekly Accolades to Collection

2015 Sep 22

WPI sophomore Dereck Pacheco has added D3football.com Team of the Week, as well as ECAC Division III North Defensive Player of the Week honors, to his collection of weekly awards. The defensive lineman was previously named the Liberty League Football Defensive Performer of the Week and WPI Men's Student-Athlete of the Week.

He becomes the first D3football.com honoree since Mitch McClune set the Engineers single-game interception record against St. Lawrence in 2012. Fellow Liberty League honoree Blaine Bursey took home ECAC Division III North Special Teams Player of the Week accolades week one.

Pacheco continued his strong start to the season by posting a career-high 11 tackles in WPI's 27-10 victory over Norwich on Saturday afternoon. The sophomore amassed 3 1/2 sacks to increase his Liberty League season-leading total to six, and also blocked a 44-yard field goal attempt to help the Engineers move to 3-0 for the first time since 2009.

WPI, ranked fourth in the initial New England Division III Football Poll, opens league action at 1pm on Saturday with the annual Transit Trophy game versus RPI (2-1) as part Homecoming Weekend.

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 40 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.