BRUNSWICK — Senior Bowdoin College linebacker Joey Cleary has been named Defensive Player of the Year in New England Small College Athletic Conference Football honors announced Tuesday by the league.

Cleary, who also earned First Team All-NESCAC recognition, is the first-ever Bowdoin player to earn one of the conference’s top honors since the conference formed in 2000.

Senior linebacker Brian Glazewski and junior defensive lineman Tom Wells both took Second Team All-Conference recognition.

Cleary amassed a leaguebest 99 tackles, which was the highest total in the conference since 2009 and tied for the third most stops in Bowdoin single-season history. He registered 10 or more tackles in six games with a season-high 19 tackles coming against Bates on Nov. 2. Cleary also recorded 8.5 tackles for a loss, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

He finishes his career at Bowdoin with 255 career tackles, 5.5 sacks and six interceptions.

Glazewski emerged as one of the best linebackers in the league this season after starting his collegiate career as a running back. Starting all eight games for the Polar Bears, Glazewski collected 72 tackles, four forced fumbles and three sacks this fall. He ended his collegiate career with a fumble recovery for a touchdown on the final play of Bowdoin’s thrilling victory over Colby.

Wells was a standout on Bowdoin’s deep defensive line this autumn.

He posted his secondstraight solid campaign, making 31 tackles and earning two sacks.

Bowdoin finished with a 3- 5 record, finishing in seventh in the NESCAC and earning a three-way tie in the CBB race.