BAY CITY, Mich. -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following Week 11 of the 2017 football season. Grand Valley State senior wide receiver Brandon Bean earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Ashland University junior defensive end James Prater Jr. captured GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors along with Wayne State senior kicker Paul Graham who claimed GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Brandon Bean, Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State senior wide receiver Brandon Bean caught 14 passes for 164 yards and four touchdowns in the Lakers' 45-7 victory over Tiffin. Bean's 14 catches are a GVSU single-game record and his four touchdown catches ranks as the second-best, single-game total in Laker football history. His TD receptions covered eight, 17, three and three yards. In addition, Bean set up another TD with a 49-yard punt return. Bean tallied 214 all-purpose yards. Bean ended the regular season with 68 catches for 886 yards and 11 TDs, with his 68 catches and a GLIAC-best 11 touchdowns. The 14 receptions tie for 10th best all-time in GLIAC single-game history.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK - James Prater Jr., Ashland
Ashland University junior defensive end James Prater Jr. had a record-setting and record-tying performance for the No. 10-ranked Eagles in their 31-19 home win over Saginaw Valley State. Prater Jr. tied the school's single-game sack record with 3 1/2, knotting the mark set by College Football Hall of Famer Bill Royce. He also set a new AU single-season tackles-for-loss record with 19 1/2 in the victory.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Paul Graham, Wayne State
Wayne State senior kicker Paul Graham had his second consecutive double-digit contest with 10 points on four extra points and two-of-three field goals. His first field goal put WSU ahead 10-6 late in the first half, while his second field goal increased the Warrior advantage to 13-6 early in the third period.
HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE: Travis Tarnowski (AU), Travis Russell (FSU), JaQuan Hardy (TU), Haiden Majewski (DU), Garrett Young (MTU), Demetrius Stinson (WSU), Ryan Conklin (SVSU), Grant Dunatchik (NU)
DEFENSE: Zach Sieler (FSU), Carrington Contee (TU), C.J. Thornton (DU), Marvin Wright (MTU), Dustin Carlin (WSU), Bryan Jones (SVSU), Collin Schlosser (GVSU), Charles Williams (NU)
SPECIAL TEAMS: Daly Irby (AU), Wyatt Ford (FSU), Michael James (MTU), Tyler Marcus (SVSU), JJ McGrath (GVSU), Scott McCormick (NU)
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