DEKALB, Ill. – For the second consecutive week, and the fourth time in five weeks, a member of the Northern Illinois University football team earned weekly honors from the Mid-American Conference as Dillon Thomas was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after his play in the win over Eastern Michigan Saturday the league announced on Monday.
 
The second Huskie defender honored by the conference this year, Thomas made a number of key plays for the NIU defense as Huskies held Eastern Michigan to just 38 rushing yards on 24 carries for the game. Thomas tipped EMU quarterback Ben Bryant's pass that was then intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Jaden Dolphin.
 
The Kansas City native accounted for two of the Huskies' five sacks in the game. The first came on third and four in the first quarter and forced an EMU punt; then in the fourth quarter, with NIU leading 24-17, Thomas sacked Bryant for an eight-yard loss to put the Eagles in a third down and 16 on the NIU 44 which they were not able to convert.
 
Thomas joins linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr., who earned the same accolade following NIU's win over Georgia Tech, as the two Huskie defensive players honored by the league this season. Deveaux, Jr., punter Matt Ference and tailback Harrison Waylee helped NIU sweep the league's West Division awards following the season opening win over the Yellowjackets as Ference picked up specialist player of the week awards and Waylee offensive.
 
Waylee is NIU's lone two-time MAC West Offensive Player of the Week honoree as the Huskie tailback also earned the same accolade following the Wyoming game. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi earned MAC West Offensive POTW after his performance against Maine.
 
NIU (3-2, 1-0) returns to the field Saturday when NIU travels to Toledo to face the Rockets. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. and will be shown on CBSSports Network.
 
There is still time to get your tickets for the next home game, Oct. 16 versus Bowling Green where NIU's 2011 MAC Championship team will be honored. Single game tickets start at $28. Three-game mini-plans are also available with Mission's 3-Game Mini-Plan priced at $79 (including processing)
 
To see all the ticket options and prices, and for more information on premium seating, see the Football Ticket Page at NIUHuskies.com.  To purchase tickets, call 815-753-PACK (7225) or go to NIUHuskies.com/MyHuskies. 
 
-NIU-