SEWARD, Neb. – Following a career best performance in Saturday’s win over Dakota Wesleyan, freshman Lane Napier has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league on Monday (Oct. 30). Napier becomes the third Bulldog this season to be tabbed the conference’s defensive player of the week. Tarence Roby (Sept. 11) and D’Mauria Martin (Oct. 16) also claimed the same award earlier this fall.
Napier showed up big in last week’s 38-16 victory. The linebacker from David City, Neb., racked up 17 tackles while also recording a sack and a quarterback hurry. An Aquinas High School product, Napier leads the team with 68 tackles this season (second among GPAC players). Napier and company flustered Tiger quarterback Dillon Turner into a 15-for-37 performance. Dakota Wesleyan had entered the game averaging 44.7 points and 577.3 yards, but managed only 16 points and 360 yards in the contest.
Napier and the Bulldogs (5-3, 4-2 GPAC) appeared just outside the top 25 rankings that were released on Monday (Oct. 30). Concordia will aim for its fourth win in a row on Saturday when it makes a trip to Sioux City, Iowa, to take on Briar Cliff (0-9, 0-6 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT.