KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its first Football Athletes of the Week for the 2023 season, presented by Mammoth Turf. 
 
MIAA Offensive Athlete of the Week – Braden Gleason, Emporia State    
Emporia State senior quarterback Braden Gleason tossed five touchdown passes in leading the Hornets to a 56-10 season opening victory over Lincoln. His season opener performance was highlighted by his ESU record-breaking 541 passing yards. In three quarters of play, Gleason went 42-of-49 for 442 yards with five touchdowns and added 22 yards on six carries with a rushing touchdown for 464 yards of total offensive yards. He became the first Hornet to throw for five touchdowns in back-to-back games in program history after throwing for five against Southeastern Oklahoma in the 2022 Live United Bowl. Gleason is now leading NCAA Division II in total offense, passing offense, and points responsible for. He also ranks third in all of college football in total offense and fourth in passing yards after week one.
 
MIAA Defensive Athlete of the Week – Jack Barkley, Pittsburg State  
Jack Barkley posted a career high 14 tackles (seven solo) in No. 4 Pittsburg State’s 34-7 season opening win over Washburn. The redshirt junior linebacker made 3.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, including one solo quarterback sack, and added a quarterback hurry to his stat line as well. Barkley helped fuel a Gorillas defense that forced three turnovers, held the Ichabods on downs three times, and limited Washburn to just 233 total yards in the contest, including just 71 net rushing yards on 29 carries.
 
MIAA Special Teams Athlete of the Week – Trey Hines, Fort Hays State           
Trey Hines recorded a blocked punt that was taken in for a touchdown in the Tigers 56-0 win at Northeastern State to open the 2023 season. His blocked punt was scooped up by teammate Mason Perez and ran back for a touchdown to make the game 28-0 in the second quarter as Fort Hays State went on to lead by five touchdowns at halftime.
 
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Offensive
Zach Zebrowski – Central Missouri
Zach Zebrowski helped Central Missouri open the 2023 season with a 45-38 win at Missouri Western on the road in St. Joseph. The redshirt junior quarterback went 29-of-39 for 385 yards and threw five touchdown passes in the victory with no interceptions. His five touchdown passes tied for sixth-most in UCM single-game history. He also added 27 rushing yards in the victory.
 
Jack Dawson – Fort Hays State
Jack Dawson tied the FHSU school record for touchdown passes in a game with five, while also rushing for one touchdown, in the Tigers 56-0 shutout of Northeastern State in Tahlequah, Okla. The sophomore quarterback had a hand in scoring 36 of FHSU’s 56 total points. He was very efficient, completing 20-of-23 passing attempts (87 percent) for 317 yards and averaged 15.85 yards per completion. Dawson became the seventh player in program history to throw for five touchdowns in a game.

Defensive
Colton Winder – Missouri Southern
Colton Winder recorded his first double digit performance of the season with 15 tackles in the Lions near-upset over No. 5-ranked Northwest Missouri. The senior linebacker made several stops on second and third downs throughout the game to force the Bearcats to difficult situations. Of his 15 total tackles, seven were solo.
 
Mason Perez – Fort Hays State
Mason Perez helped Fort Hays State to a 56-0 shutout of Northeastern State in the season opener by recording an interception, a scoop and score touchdown on a blocked punt, and a pair of tackles. His two-yard blocked punt recovery for a touchdown put the Tigers up 28-0 in the second quarter. He later intercepted a pass at the FHSU 12-yard-line, which set up an 88-yard touchdown drive by the Tigers to extend their lead to 35-0 by halftime.
 
Special Teams
Austin Schmitt – Pittsburg State      
Austin Schmitt booted a pair of field goals, including a 45-yarder as time expired in the first half, in his collegiate debut to help No. 4-ranked Pitt State to a 34-7 season opening victory against Washburn at home. The freshman kicker staked the Gorillas to a 6-0 halftime lead by converting a 23-yard field goal with 11:16 remaining in the second quarter and the long kick on the final play of the first half. He also booted a pair of PATs in the second half as Pitt State pulled away down the stretch against the Ichabods.
 
Cole Lammel – Northwest Missouri
Cole Lammel went 4-for-4 on extra points and 1-for-1 on field goals, while also executing a perfect surprise onside kick in Northwest Missouri’s 31-24 win at Missouri Southern. The Bearcats junior kicker made his only field goal attempt of the game from 24 yards with 1:21 left in the first half. The drive started when Lammel connected on a surprise onside kick and recovered the ball at the MSSU 38-yard line.
 
NOMINATIONS FOR FOOTBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Offensive: Trevon Woolfolk (Central Oklahoma), Jay Harris (Northwest Missouri), Luke Sampson (Missouri Southern), Jonas Bennett (Missouri Western), TJ Davis (Nebraska Kearney)   2023 MIAA FOOTBALL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Offensive Athlete of the Week
Week One: Braden Gleason, Emporia State
 
Defensive Athlete of the Week
Week One: Jack Barkley, Pittsburg State
 
Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Week One: Trey Hines, Fort Hays State