MAC Football Players of the Week

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WEEK NINE

FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE AND SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

For Immediate Release-Monday, Nov. 2, 2009

East Division

Offensive Player of the Week:  Temple RB Bernard Pierce

Freshman running back Bernard Pierce (Ardmore, Pa.) rushed for a career-high 267 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries in a 27-24 win at Navy.  Pierce scored on a 41-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter for the three-point win and also posted a 68-yard touchdown run in the second stanza.  Pierce now has 1,033 yards and 11 scores on the year.

Defensive Player of the Week:  Kent State DE Monte Simmons

Junior defensive end Monte Simmons (Swissvale, Pa.) led another strong defensive effort with five tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble in a 26-14 win over Western Michigan.  Simmons and the Kent State defense held the Broncos to less than 300 yards of offense, including only 38 yards on the ground.  Simmons posted a career-high three sacks as the Golden Flashes' have now won three straight games.

Special Teams Player of the Week:  Ohio K Matt Weller

Freshman kicker Matt Weller (Twinsburg, Ohio) tied a school record with four field goals in a 20-17 win at Ball State.  Weller connected on tries from 39, 24, 52 and 41 yards during the Bobcat victory.  His 52-yard field goal tied for the eighth-longest field goal made in school history.

West Division

Offensive Player of the Week:  Northern Illinois RB Chad Spann

Junior running back Chad Spann (Indianapolis, Ind.) rushed for 125 yards on 21 carries and two touchdowns in a 27-10 win over Akron.  Both of Spann's scores came in the fourth quarter as the Huskies trailed 10-6 and turned the game around.  Spann scored from 28 yards and two yards as Northern Illinois improved to 3-1 in the conference.

Defensive Player of the Week:  Western Michigan DE Justin Braska

Senior defensive end Justin Braska (Dewitt, Mich.) collected six tackles, including five solo, two and one-half tackles for loss and one sack in a 26-14 loss at Kent State.  Braska also recorded a quarterback hurry and a pass break up in the setback against the Golden Flashes.

Special Teams Player of the Week:  Northern Illinois K Mike Salerno

Senior kicker Mike Salerno (Orland Park, Ill.) served as place kicker, and punter in swirling wind gusts of nearly 30 miles per hour in a 27-10 win over Akron.  Salerno added two field goals of 22 and 37 yards and three PATs for nine points.  Salerno punted three times for a 52.7 yard average, including a career-long of 61 yards, and two punts inside the 20.