Williston Northampton School senior football captain Xavier Thibault ’18 will receive the Dr. Frank L. Boyden Award during the annual National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame scholar-athlete dinner to be held at the University of Massachusetts on April 8.
The Quebec native will become the 19th Williston recipient of this prestigious award, given to the top prep school football scholar-athlete in western Massachusetts, and the seventh Williston recipient in a row. The Boyden Award has been presented since 1962.
Thibault, who will play football at Columbia University in the fall, has had a tremendous football and academic career at Williston. In his senior season he recorded a school-record 14.5 sacks in just eight games. The majority of his sacks came against the better teams in our league, according to Head Football Coach Tommy Beaton. For his efforts this past season he was named Co-Most Valuable Player. Furthermore, at our conference meeting he was named All New England and Co-Defensive Most Valuable Player for the Erickson League.
Xavier has also done a terrific job in the classroom. Named a Williston AP Scholar, he has been on the high honor roll in every term he’s been at Williston.
During the winter Xavier plays for the varsity basketball team, is a member of the student council, and serves as an admissions intern and tour guide.
“Xavier is an outstanding student-athlete and a wonderful representative of not only Williston, but of prep school football,” said Director of Athletics Mark Conroy. “He certainly is a very worthy recipient of this award and continues our long line of Williston boys who have won this prestigious scholar-athlete honor.”