Football | November 20

DeKALB, IL – Redshirt-Freshman wide receiver Dane Pardridge (DeKalb, Ill./Aurora Christian) of the Northern Illinois University football team was named the Mid-American Conference West Division Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance last Tuesday night against Western Michigan.
 
With 2:32 to go in the third quarter, Pardridge returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown to put the Huskies ahead 20-0 in a 24-0 shutout victory. It was NIU's first punt return for a touchdown since Perez Ashford had a 44-yard score at Miami on Oct. 24, 2009. Pardridge has scored two touchdowns this season, catching a six-yard touchdown pass at Central Michigan on Oct. 31.
 
This is the fifth time this season the Huskies have had a MAC Player of the Week. Senior linebacker Tyler Jackson (Alief, Texas/DeSoto) was the defensive player of the week following the Ball State (Nov. 7) game. Kicker Kanon Woodill (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) and punter Tom Foley (Peoria, Ill./Peoria Notre Dame) were named special teams player of the week in back-to-back weeks following the Ohio (Oct. 14) and Eastern Michigan (Oct. 21) games respectively. Antario Brown (Savannah, Ga./Beach) was the MAC West offensive player of the week after rushing for 280 yards and four touchdowns in the win at Akron (Oct. 7).
 
NIU wraps up the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 25 at Kent State. Kickoff is at 11 a.m. CT with the game broadcast on ESPN+.
 
--NIU--