S&T, McKendree Earn Season’s First GLVC Football Awards
INDIANAPOLIS – Missouri S&T senior quarterback Tyler Swart and McKendree University junior defensive back Blake Benoist and junior punter Monte Wolke have been named the season’s first Great Lakes Valley Conference Players of the Week in football, it was announced by the league office Monday.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tyler Swart, Missouri S&T
Sr., QB, Dickinson, Texas
Major: Petroleum Engineering
Team Result: 31-14 home win vs. Eastern New Mexico
Completed 21-of-30 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns against a team receiving votes in AFCA preseason poll
Became first player in GLVC history to throw four scoring passes in a game in four different seasons (2015-Quincy, 2016-Lincoln, 2017-Indianapolis)
Four touchdown passes tied a career high, and has now recorded a four-TD game in each of his four seasons with the Miners
Four touchdown passes went to four different receivers, including the first to Logan Armontrout just 1 minute, 28 seconds into the game
Moved into fourth all-time on GLVC career charts in touchdown passes (54) and fifth overall in pass attempts (730)
Earns his fourth career Offensive Player of the Week award (11/16/15, 10/17/16, 10/30/17)
Last Missouri S&T Offensive Player of the Week: Deshawn Jones (11/13/18)
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Blake Benoist, McKendree
Jr., DB, O’Fallon, Missouri
Major: Marketing
Team Result: 34-28 home win vs. Northern Michigan
Totaled a career-high 11 tackles in season-opening win
Snatched an interception that led to McKendree’s final points of the day
Earns his first career Defensive Player of the Week award
Last McKendree Defensive Player of the Week: Austin Weltha (11/6/17)
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Monte Wolke, McKendree
Jr., P, Sigel, Illinois
Major: Human Resource Management
Team Result: 34-28 home win vs. Northern Michigan
Registered four punts for 182 yards for an average of 45.5 yards per boot
Netted two punts of at least 50 yards, included a 58-yarder
Two of his efforts landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line
Earns his second career Special Teams Player of the Week award (10/23/17)
Last McKendree Special Teams Player of the Week: Derrick Curry (11/6/17)
