WATERBURY, Conn. -- For the second consecutive year, Post University Football has a New England Football Writers Association Gold Helmet Award winner, and as luck would have it, it would come in Week 3 just like last season. Freshman wide receiver Israel Hiraldo was named this week's Gold Helmet recipient by the association on Sunday afternoon after his big weekend for the Eagles in their 39-30 win over Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday.

Hiraldo recorded the third-most all-purpose yards for a single game in program history for Post University Football, going off for 255 yards against Southern Connecticut State University this week. Helping lead Post to their first 2-0 start in program history, Hiraldo ran back-to-back kickoff returns to the house for 80 yards and 84 yards in the third quarter, while also having 75 receiving yards on six receptions to go along with his two touchdowns in the win.

The only other Gold Helmet recipient in Post's program history was Josh Tracey last season, in the third week of the award being handed out. That week, Tracey had 268 all-purpose yards with a kickoff return and a receiving touchdown along the way. Hiraldo nearly broke Tracey's program record 311 all-purpose yards from last season, nearly hauling in a  45-yard pass from senior quarterback Malakai Taylor, which would have brought him within 10 yards of tying Tracey's mark, but dropped it and landed awkwardly at the Southern Connecticut 15-yard line. Hiraldo would exit the game after that play, but is expected to be ready to play in next weekend's contest against Pace University. 

Playing their first road game of the season, Post University will head to Pace University next Saturday afternoon at 12:00 PM to take on the Setters in their first Northeast-10 Conference game of the year. The Eagles are 0-3 in the all-time series against Pace; however, they fell in the final minute to them last season at home, 23-21, on a game-winning field goal by Dylan Squillacioti from 27 yards out.