DeKALB, Ill. – Northern Illinois University wide receiver and punt returner Dane Pardridge has been named the Mid-American Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week, the league office announced Wednesday. The honor comes two days after the Huskie redshirt freshman earned MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week for his play versus Western Michigan on November 14.
 
Pardridge, a human resource management major from DeKalb (Marmion Academy), carries a 3.83 grade point average. The MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week Award is presented to one male and one female student-athlete from a conference school each week, based on both grade point average and their performance in competition during the week. Pardridge is the first Huskie student-athlete to earn the award this year.  
 
Pardridge became the first Huskie since 2009 to return a punt for a touchdown when he scored on a 55-yard punt return in the third quarter of NIU's 24-0 shutout win over the Broncos on Senior Night in DeKalb. He also caught two passes for 22 yards in the game. The DeKalb native became the second member of his family to score on a return as his father, former Huskie wide receiver and running back Curt Pardridge, returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown versus Iowa on September 21, 1985.   
 
NIU plays its final regular season game of 2023 on Saturday, November 25 at Kent State. Kickoff is at 11 a.m. (CT) and the game will be carried on ESPN+.
 
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