This week's Missouri Valley Football Conference players of the week include QB Mark Gronowski of South Dakota State; LB Spencer Cuvelier of UNI; P Garret Wegner of North Dakota State; and TB Jaleel McLaughlin of Youngstown State.


Offensive Player of the Week
QB Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State
6-3, 200, Fr., Naperville (Ill.) Neuqua Valley High
Gronowski accounted for four first-half touchdowns, running for two and passing for two, in South Dakota’s State 45-10 home win over Western Illinois on March 6. He opened the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown run. In the second quarter, he sandwiched an 80-yard touchdown run around TD passes of 44 and 12 yards to Jadon Janke and Mason Leighton, respectively. For the game, Gronowski was 12-of-19 passing for 178 yards and carried four times for 120 yards. 



Defensive Player of the Week
LB Spencer Cuvelier, UNI
6-3, 245, Jr., Cresco (Iowa) Crestwood High / Iowa Central CC
Spencer Cuvelier notched 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and a strip-sack to help lead the UNI defense in a stifling defensive performance in the 20-10 win over No. 15 Illinois State.  The Redbirds racked up 447 yards of offense a week ago, but the Panthers held ISU to just 185 yards, including just 69 yards through the air. Cuvelier forced a fumble late in the fourth which led to a turnover and a touchdown to clinch the 20-10 win. 



Special Teams Player of the Week
P Garret Wegner, North Dakota State
6-0, 197, Sr., Lodi (Wis.) High
Wegner averaged 52.2 yards on five punts including a career-long of 67 yards that ranks fourth longest in the FCS this season. Wegner also had punts of 54 and 59 yards and placed two inside the 20-yard line while limiting Missouri State to 10 return yards. Wegner also ran a fake punt 23 yards for a first down to set up NDSU’s first touchdown in a 25-0 victory.



Newcomer of the Week
TB Jaleel McLaughlin, Youngstown State
5-9, 175, Jr., Marshville (N.C.) Notre Dame College
McLaughlin rushed for 124 yards and 26 carries and scored two touchdowns in YSU's loss to Southern Illinois. A transfer from Notre Dame (Ohio) College, McLaughlin had his best performance by far for the Penguins in his third game. He had rushing scores of 10 and one-yard in the first half of the game. They were his first YSU touchdowns.


OTHERS NOMINATED

• RB Tyler Hoosman, UNI -- Ran 15 times for 63 yards and a touchdown to lead No. 3 UNI to a win over No. 15 Illinois State. Hoosman averaged 4.2 yards per carry with a long of 13 yards. His fourth-quarter touchdown put the game out of reach for the Redbirds. He leads UNI with 131 yards on 27 carries this season. 
• RB Kai Henry, South Dakota -- Henry became the 14th player in program history to reach 2,000 yards rushing. He carried 15 times for 84 yards and scored a touchdown in Thursday’s game at No. 4 North Dakota, can caught three passes for 31 yards.
• RB Otis Weah, North Dakota -- The redshirt sophomore running back put the ball on the turf trying to cross the goal line in the first quarter, but ran like a man possessed thereafter, chalking up a career-high 163 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns on just 16 carries (10.2 ypc) as fourth-ranked North Dakota defeated No. 20 South Dakota, 21-10, at Alerus Center to move to 3-0 on the season. 
• LB Jaxson Turner, North Dakota -- Turner made freshman quarterback Carson Camp's life tough on Thursday, as the senior finished with five tackles, including sacks on back-to-back plays, to hold the Coyotes to just 199 yards through the air and gave the UND defense four sacks on the day. 
• LB Brock Mogensen, South Dakota -- Mogensen had a game-high 11 tackles including two for loss and came away with his first collegiate interception in Thursday’s game at No. 4 North Dakota.
• DE Spencer Waege, North Dakota State -- Waege made four total tackles including a career-high 3.0 sacks for 22 yards and a forced fumble in North Dakota State’s 25-0 victory at Missouri State. It was NDSU’s second shutout in two seasons against the Bears. The Bison defense registered seven sacks and nine tackles for loss while limiting MSU to just 63 net yards rushing.
• LB Bryson Strong, Southern Illinois -- Strong had nine tackles, 1.0 sack and a forced fumble in the win at Youngstown State. His forced fumble came in the fourth quarter stopped a YSU drive and helped preserve a 30-22 Saluki win. He led a Saluki defense that limited YSU to three points in the second half. 
• LB Adam Bock, South Dakota State -- In his first career start, Bock paced a South Dakota State defense with eight tackles as the Jackrabbits defeated Western Illinois, 45-10, on March 6. Bock and the Jackrabbit defense forced three turnovers in the home victory. 
• PK Cole Frahm, South Dakota State -- Frahm was perfect on kicks during South Dakota State’s 45-10 home victory over Western Illinois on March 6. He made all six extra-point attempts and added a 39-yard field goal into the wind for the only scoring by either team in the second half. Frahm also recorded three touchbacks on kickoffs to keep the WIU return game in check. 
• WR/KR Quan Hampton, UNI -- (nominated at both special teams and newcomer) -- Recorded five receptions for 40 yards to lead the Panthers' offense. His biggest play came on the first play of the game. He took the opening kick back 65 yards to set up a touchdown drive to begin the game. He had another 29-yard return later in the game. He leads UNI with 17 receptions for 179 yards on the season. 
• P Brady Schutt, South Dakota -- Schutt netted 43.7 yards on six punts while pinning half of the six inside the 10-yard line. He angled a 53-yarder to land out-of-bounds at the 9, and had a 40-yarder pinned inside the 1. The Hawks returned one punt for one yard that reached the UND 7.
• P Cade Peterson, North Dakota -- Saw two of his five punts on the evening pin the Coyotes inside their own 20 yard line … Averaged just under 37 yards per kick … Did not allow a single return by USD in the contest.
• RB Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State -- Davis, who had only one carry entering Saturday’s game against Western Illinois, racked up 118 yards on nine carries with a 40-yard touchdown in South Dakota State’s 45-10 victory on March 6. Davis’ touchdown was part of a 28-point second quarter for the Jackrabbits. 
• WR Dallas Daniels, Western Illinois -- Scored his first touchdown in a WIU uniform at South Dakota State; set up the play with a 62-yard catch, which marked the longest reception of the season. Finished the game with 111 receiving yards to become the first Leatherneck to put up 100-plus this season 
• QB Tommy Schuster, North Dakota -- Schuster made it four straight wins over ranked teams to begin his collegiate career, tossing for 219 yards on a 23-for-35 day through the air while adding 15 yards on the ground.
• CB Myles Harden, South Dakota -- Harden followed a two-interception performance in his collegiate debut by breaking up three passes and notching three tackles in Thursday night’s game at No. 4 North Dakota.
• S Clayton Bush, Southern Illinois -- led the team with 10 tackles (7 solos, 3 assisted). He also contributed a pass breakup and helped lead a Saluki defense that limited YSU to three points in the second half. 
• RB Dominic Gonnella, North Dakota State -- Gonnella had a career-high 14 rushes and 76 yards in North Dakota State’s 25-0 win at Missouri State as the Bison rolled up 272 yards on the ground. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry and was second on the team with 89 all-purpose yards including two receptions for 13 yards. Gonnella is second on the Bison with 24 carries through three spring games.