On Feb. 2, TJ Farrell made his commitment official to the University of New Hampshire to play Division I football. While he has played four years for the Walpole Timberwolves, he looks forward to continuing the sport with a new team with higher and more intense competition in New Hampshire. 

Home to nine of the eleven UNH colleges, Farrell will attend the main campus, based in Durham, New Hampshire, an hour from Portland, the White Mountains and Boston. With an undergrad population of 12,000 students, UNH falls into the mid-size range for colleges. 

The Wildcats are in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, or the NCAA Conference and are members of the Colonial Athletic Association. They play in the Wildcat Stadium and have a total of fifteen conference titles. Last season, they played teams such as Lafayette, James Madison, University of Rhode Island and Towson. They finished their season with a record of 3-8. 

“I chose UNH because of the coaches and the campus. When I had my official visit, as soon as I was on campus I felt like it was a perfect spot for me,” Farrell said. “The town and the community were so tightly knit together, it was something I would want to be a part of.”

Farrell attributes his devotion to the sport to his father, who helped him throughout his entire high school experience and through every aspect of the game. His favorite year of football was his senior season, where the Timberwolves had a record of 7-4. He played Defensive End, Tight End, and Long Snapper for Walpole and will play Defensive End for the Wildcats.

“I am looking forward the most to meeting new people and being able to play for another four years,” Farrell said. “Athletically I want to get on the field and play as well as make an impact on the team as soon as I can, and academically I want to put my best foot forward and do the best I possibly can in every class I take.”