Video: For football’s Mark Upton ’17, commitment to Bates comes first

When the football team takes to Garcelon Field on Saturday vs. Williams, keep an eye on No. 48 when the Bobcats are on defense.

His name is Mark Upton ’17 of Winthrop, Mass., and he’s the reigning NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week after making a career-high 17 tackles vs. Tufts last week.

An All-New England selection in 2015, Upton is also a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation’s William V. Campbell Trophy for scholar-athletes.

But as we learned, Upton’s value to his team goes beyond statistics. “The essence of Mark is someone who honors his word and honors his commitment,” says teammate and friend Andrew Segal ’17 of Glencoe, Ill.