Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

Westfield State's Chris Stengel has been selected to two national preseason NCAA Division III football teams.

The standout senior punter from Forest Hill, Md., earned first team defense honors on Lindy's college football magazine's 2010 All-Division III team, along with being selected to the D3 Senior Classic committee's All-America North Region first team.

Lindy's, published for the past 29 years, is rated America's leading football authority. Stengel is the only New England region player on the prestigious preseason squad.

The D3 Senior Classic is the premier postseason all-star game showcasing the talent of senior players on the NCAA Division III football level. The game is held annually in December at Salem (Va.) Stadium, also home to the Division III championship game.

Stengel was a d3football.com All-America honorable mention selection in 2009. He ranked 11th nationally, punting 75 times for a 40.23 average. More than a third (26) of his punts were inside the 20.

Stengel, who transferred from Division II Concord University in West Virginia prior to the 2008 season, was a potent weapon for the Owls' nationally-ranked defense in 2009. Stengel was named the NEFC defensive player of the week in a 32-16 victory over Fitchburg as he punted 10 times for a 45.5 average. Six punts were inside the 20, one was a touchback, and two were fair catches.

Stengel’s other 2009 postseason accolades included: NEFC first-team all-conference, New England Division II/III sportswriters all-star team, ECAC Northeast All-Star, and D3football.com East Region first team.