Touching Down Into Pace's Record Books

Carlton Aiken ‘21 has been one of the key figures for Setters football for the past several years. Now, he’ll be forever in the record books.

In the second quarter of an October matchup against Post, Aiken found Franklin Castillo Diaz in the endzone to give the Setters a commanding lead. Yet, the touchdown was anything but routine; it was Aiken’s 42nd touchdown pass in the blue and gold, passing Kevin Enterlein ’88 on the all time list, whose record stood for over 30 years.

Aiken, a dynamic passer who has also played wide receiver and running back over the course of his collegiate career, has finished his college career incredibly strong. Leading the Setters to a 6-4 record, he combined for 23 touchdowns (17 pass, 6 rush), and ranked third in passing yards (1,799) and rushing yards (694) among all NE-10 players. Most notably, Aiken was named the Most Valuable Player of the NE-10 Conference, the first-ever Pace player to win the prestigious conference-wide award. He was also given an Honorable Mention to the Don Hanson 2022 NCAA DII All-America team.

As for what’s next? Aiken’s unique skill set and experience makes him one of the rare candidates to be able to make the leap from Division II Athletics to the professional level. Aiken has officially declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping to be the first-ever Pace football player to make it to football’s greatest stage.

“My game translates extremely well to the next level. Experience and my play-making ability are what sets me apart,” said Aiken in an interview with scouting site NFL Draft Diamonds. “Whether it’s 3rd down, the 4th quarter, or overtime, I know how to keep my composure in these situations.”