FINDLAY, OHIO – Iowa Wesleyan College quarterback Kevin McConnell (So.-Kansas City, Mo.) has been named the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league Monday morning.
McConnell received the award after the best performance of his young career helped IWC to its first win of the season on Saturday. McConnell passed for 253 yards and two touchdowns and directed the game-winning drive as the Tigers defeated the University of St. Francis (Ill.), 24-21, for Head Coach Kent Anderson’s first win as Wesleyan coach.
McConnell led the winning drive in the final three minutes, driving the Tigers 71 yards in 11 plays and throwing a three-yard touchdown pass to Marc Ballatori (Fr.-Tequesta, Fla.) with 22 seconds left in the game for the winning score. On the final drive the quarterback completed seven of 10 passes and also rushed twice for 11 yards.
In all McConnell completed 24 of 35 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns and was responsible for all 295 yards of IWC’s total offense in the game, rushing for 42 yards as well. Along with the winning touchdown pass to Ballatori, he also completed a 61-yard scoring pass to LiMichael Peeples (Fr.-Conyers, Ga.) in the first quarter for Wesleyan’s first points.
McConnell received MSFA Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. He if the first Iowa Wesleyan player to receive weekly honors since Jaren Maybin and Jean Louis were named offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, on Oct. 5, 2009, after the Tigers’ 26-14 win over Waldorf College.
Wesleyan improved to 1-4 overall this season and 1-1 in the MSFA Midwest League. The Tigers will be back home Saturday for its Homecoming game against Waldorf at 2 p.m. at Mapleleaf Stadium.
