Northern Colorado senior wide receiver Patrick Walker was named the Sports Network FCS national offensive player of the week, the National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter player of the week and the Big Sky Conference co-offensive player of the week after catching 10 passes for 315 yards and two touchdowns Saturday in the Bears’ 27-25 loss to North Dakota.
Walker’s 315 yards were the most in the FCS this season and 61 short of the division record of 376, held by Cal Poly’s Kassim Osgood against Northern Iowa in 2000. Walker’s yardage set Northern Colorado and Big Sky single-game records.
With two games remaining, Walker is fourth on the Bears’ career receptions list with 160. He needs 17 more to tie Vincent Jackson’s record of 177.
Mountain West salutes Wyoming QB.
University of Wyoming freshman quarterback Brett Smith was named co-offensive player of the week by the Mountain West, sharing the conference honor with San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman.
Smith threw for a personal-best 341 yards and accounted for 365 yards of total offense Saturday while throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for two TDs in the Cowboys’ 30-27 victory at San Diego State.
CSU’s Paige player of the week.
Colorado State junior Brieon Paige led the Rams’ volleyball team to two conference victories last week and Monday was rewarded with her first Mountain West player of the week award.
Paige, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Sacramento, Calif., averaged 2.83 kills per set on .630 hitting in sweeps of San Diego State and UNLV.
The Rams, riding a six-match winning streak, moved up one slot in this week’s AVCA coaches top 25 poll to No. 24.
