FRISCO – HCU running back Xai'Shaun Edwards, Lamar defensive back Ronnie Hamrick II, and HCU punter Brady Young have been named the Southland Conference football weekly award winners for Week 7, the league announced Monday.
Offensive Player of the Week: Xai'Shaun Edwards, HCU – RB – R-Fr. – League City, Texas (Clear Springs HS)
Edwards continued his stellar season with a 214-yard, two touchdown performance in HCU's 20-17 win over Northwestern State. His 214 yards were the eighth-most in a single game in the FCS this season and fell just four yards shy of the HCU single-game record of 218. He broke touchdown runs of 52 yards and 47 yards and now has 8 touchdown rushes on the season, setting a new single-season record for HCU. His 625 yards rushing through six games moves him into 5th on HCU's single-season list.
Defensive Player of the Week: Ronnie Hamrick II, Lamar – DB – Sr. – Lilburn, Ga. (Parkview HS)
Hamrick recorded seven tackles (three solos), including 1.5 for losses, forced two fumbles and recovered a third for a touchdown … Hamrick's fumble recovery was the final score in the game as LU rallied late for the win … Hamrick's first forced fumble was recovered by a teammate and returned for a score which was the Cardinals' first touchdown of the game.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Brady Young, HCU – P – R-Sr. – Perrysburg, Ohio (Perrysburg HS)
Young averaged 46.8 yards per punt on four kicks in HCU's win over Northwestern State. He notably stuck two punts inside the NSU 5-yard line and had a long of 54 yards.
Honorable Mention: Ben Woodard, Lamar and Ozlo Rigby, East Texas A&M
2025 Southland Football Players of the Week
| Date |
Offensive |
Defensive |
Special Teams |
| Sept. 1 |
Miequle Brock, Jr., Nicholls |
Fernando Washington, Northwestern State |
Cooper Evans, Northwestern State |
| Sept. 8 |
Nathan Denney, UTRGV |
Kristian Pugh, Lamar |
Ben Woodard, Lamar |
| Sept. 15 |
Jake Strong, McNeese |
Andrew Huff, Lamar |
Kendric Malone, Lamar |
| Sept. 22 |
Jerrell Wimbley, SFA |
Rodney Dansby, HCU |
Kylon Harris, SFA |
| Sept. 29 |
Jerrell Wimbley, SFA |
Declan Williams, UIW |
Kyndon Fuselier, Lamar |
| Oct. 6 |
Sam Vidlak, SFA |
Jaydon Southard, SFA* |
Kyndon Fuselier, Lamar* |
| Oct. 13 |
Xai'Shaun Edwards, HCU |
Ronnie Hamrick II, Lamar |
Brady Young, HCU |
* - Also named Stats Performn National Player of the Week
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.