WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State first-year midfielder Paul Whalley (Southwick, Mass.) was named to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference Second Team for his efforts this past season for an Owls team that reached the conference championship game.

Whalley tied the team lead with five goals for the Owls, and registered 11 points across 16 games played. The rookie midfielder had many highlight moments in his first season with the Owls, including the game-winning goal against Fitchburg State with less than five minutes left in the match on Homecoming Weekend. He also delivered a memorable bicycle-kick tally against UMass Dartmouth towards the end of the season, and gave the Owls the lead in a pivotal regular season tilt with Salem to ultimately secure home field advantage in the league semifinals.

Whalley was the lone selection for an Owls team that played above expectations from the beginning of the season as Westfield was selected to finish fifth in the MASCAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Instead, the Owls improved their season win total by four games, finishing 7-8-2 overall and 5-2 in the league to earn the second overall seed in the conference tournament.

The Owls defeated Salem State in a thrilling penalty-kick shootout, with Whalley scoring the Owls' first penalty kick, to reach the MASCAC title game for the first time since 2017 where their season came to an end in a loss to top-seeded Bridgewater State.

For full MASCAC All-Conference Teams release, CLICK HERE