11/12/2026 10:30:00 AM | Football
Third Black Bear in program history to earn the award
Orono, Maine -- It has been announced the Anthony Pecorella of the University of Maine football program has been named the recipient of the 2026 Jerry Nason Award, which is given out by the New England Football Writers. The award goes to a student-athlete in his final year of eligibility who has succeeded in football against all odds.
Pecorella, who is in his final year at UMaine, had to overcome one the hardest battles anyone ever has to go through, whether it be for themselves, a family member or a friend, beating cancer. In July of 2023, he was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. In August of 2025, he returned to collegiate action as a member of our program, making his first appearance in over 1000 days on a football field. Now, he is playing out his final year of college football before having to undergo a bone marrow transplant to combat a genetic condition that was found to be the root cause of his cancer. He has undergone eight IVIG infusions in Boston, three during the season, which have allowed him to be able to continue to compete this season.
In the community, Pecorella is a major part of Team Impact. He is a Fellow (Executive Board Member), where he represents on campuses, increases awareness and connects children facing serious illness and disabilities with college sports teams. He has been a keynote speaker in front of 1,200 people at organization-wide gala event in Boston, Massachusetts, a keynote speaker in front of 500 people at Children's Hospital Association Event on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the organization via fundraising activities. During his work with Team Impact, he has established seven teams getting matched with children and addition of three more members to the fellowship program during his time between Stony Brook and UMaine.
In addition to his Team Impact work, Anthony is the founder & co-creator of the Healthy Minds Instagram Page, which was created as a safe place for over 1,400 followers to discuss their mental health and engage in weekly conversations about mental health. He partnered with Rachel Joy Baribeau, founder of "I'm Changing the Narrative Initiative" and best-selling author, on podcasts, speaking with student athletes across the country, and social media posts to combat mental health issues. As a result of this work, he has spoken on "The Mindset Experience" podcast with Dr. Arman Taghizadeh M.D. about mental health in sports.
In the classroom, Anthony has maintained a 4.0 GPA during his time at UMaine in graduate school, while on the field going out and performing each and every week. Through nine games in 2026, he has punted the ball 49 times for an average of 43.5 yards per attempt. He earned his first CAA weekly award in Week 0 of this season after a great game at Towson where he pinned them inside their 20-yard line on three separate occasions on the night.
Pecorella is the third UMaine player to be honored by the NEFW with the Jerry Nason Award, joining Jim Reid (1972) and Lance Theobold (1985). The award has been presented since 1958.
The award will be presented at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 10, at the Renaissance Framingham (Mass.) Hotel and Conference Center. Online registration for the event is available by clicking here.
-UMaine-
Developing Champions with Integrity
Integrity | Accountability | Toughness | Excellence
Pecorella, who is in his final year at UMaine, had to overcome one the hardest battles anyone ever has to go through, whether it be for themselves, a family member or a friend, beating cancer. In July of 2023, he was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma, a rare form of cancer. In August of 2025, he returned to collegiate action as a member of our program, making his first appearance in over 1000 days on a football field. Now, he is playing out his final year of college football before having to undergo a bone marrow transplant to combat a genetic condition that was found to be the root cause of his cancer. He has undergone eight IVIG infusions in Boston, three during the season, which have allowed him to be able to continue to compete this season.
In the community, Pecorella is a major part of Team Impact. He is a Fellow (Executive Board Member), where he represents on campuses, increases awareness and connects children facing serious illness and disabilities with college sports teams. He has been a keynote speaker in front of 1,200 people at organization-wide gala event in Boston, Massachusetts, a keynote speaker in front of 500 people at Children's Hospital Association Event on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. and has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the organization via fundraising activities. During his work with Team Impact, he has established seven teams getting matched with children and addition of three more members to the fellowship program during his time between Stony Brook and UMaine.
In addition to his Team Impact work, Anthony is the founder & co-creator of the Healthy Minds Instagram Page, which was created as a safe place for over 1,400 followers to discuss their mental health and engage in weekly conversations about mental health. He partnered with Rachel Joy Baribeau, founder of "I'm Changing the Narrative Initiative" and best-selling author, on podcasts, speaking with student athletes across the country, and social media posts to combat mental health issues. As a result of this work, he has spoken on "The Mindset Experience" podcast with Dr. Arman Taghizadeh M.D. about mental health in sports.
In the classroom, Anthony has maintained a 4.0 GPA during his time at UMaine in graduate school, while on the field going out and performing each and every week. Through nine games in 2026, he has punted the ball 49 times for an average of 43.5 yards per attempt. He earned his first CAA weekly award in Week 0 of this season after a great game at Towson where he pinned them inside their 20-yard line on three separate occasions on the night.
Pecorella is the third UMaine player to be honored by the NEFW with the Jerry Nason Award, joining Jim Reid (1972) and Lance Theobold (1985). The award has been presented since 1958.
The award will be presented at the New England Football Writers Captains and Awards Banquet on Thursday, December 10, at the Renaissance Framingham (Mass.) Hotel and Conference Center. Online registration for the event is available by clicking here.
-UMaine-
Developing Champions with Integrity
Integrity | Accountability | Toughness | Excellence
Players Mentioned
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