ATLANTA — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its Football Players of the Week on Tuesday, Oct. 28, honoring student-athletes for impressive performances in games played last week.
Isaiah Knowles (
Albany State),
Xavier Esquillen (
Savannah State),
Kyle Keese (
Fort Valley State) and
Trei'Shaun Sanders (
Central State) were recognized.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – ISAIAH KNOWLES, ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY
Quarterback | Graduate | Tampa, Fla.
Knowles made a strong return to the lineup, leading the Golden Rams to a decisive 31-3 victory over nationally ranked Benedict College. He showcased poise and precision, completing multiple key drives, including three touchdown passes and more than 200 yards through the air. His leadership and command of the offense set the tone early and were instrumental in Albany State’s statement win to rise to No. 1 in the conference.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – XAVIER ESQUILLEN, SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY
Defensive Lineman | Junior | Charlotte, N.C.
Esquillen rewrote the single game sacks record for Savannah State in Saturday's 24-16 Homecoming win over Morehouse, breaking a school record that stood for eight years. He set the new mark with five sacks in the game, while also adding one pass breakup and one forced fumble.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – KYLE KEESE, FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Kicker | Sophomore | Zebulon, Ga.
Keese was essential to the Wildcats' 23-19 win over Lane. He split the uprights three times, including a 53-yard field goal to tie the game going into halftime. Keese was also a perfect 2-for-2 on extra point attempts, accounting for 11 of the 23 FVSU points.
NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK – TREI'SHAUN SANDERS, CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY
Defensive Back | Freshman | Xenia, Ohio
Sanders delivered a breakout performance, showcasing his playmaking ability on both ends of the field. He recorded two interceptions, returning the first 40 yards for a touchdown to spark the Marauders’ defense. In addition to his impact in the secondary, Sanders was a force in run support, tallying five total tackles, along with one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries. His ability to make plays in critical moments continues to solidify him as one of the most promising young defenders in the conference.
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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE (SIAC)
The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Central State University, Clark Atlanta University, Edward Waters University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, Spring Hill College, and Tuskegee University), which are located within a contiguous seven-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors nine men's and seven women's sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II. For more information, visit
www.thesiac.com.