KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association has announced its first athletes of the week in the 2026 football season, presented by FieldTurf. Missouri Western’s Isaiah Tate was named the league’s first Offensive Athlete of the Week, Emporia State’s Landon Boss was named the first Defensive Athlete of the Week, and Central Oklahoma’s Bradley Thao was named the first Special Teams Athlete of the Week in the 2026 season.

 OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Isaiah Tate, QB, Missouri Western
Missouri Western’s junior transfer quarterback Isaiah Tate delivered a record-setting performance in his first game as a Griffon, leading the Missouri Western offense in a high-scoring, 63-58 loss to No. 20-ranked Augustana (SD). Tate completed 18-of-29 passes for 420 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 26 rushing yards and a touchdown on six carries to open the 2026 season with an MIAA-leading 446 yards of total offense and five total touchdowns. Tate's four passing touchdowns tied the MoWest single-game record, while his five total touchdowns also tied the program's single-game record. His 420 passing yards also rank second in school history for a single game, while his 446 yards of total offense in a single game rank fourth in the program.

 DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Landon Boss, LB, Emporia State   
Landon Boss, the reigning MIAA Defensive Player of the Year, opened the 2026 season with a career-high 17 tackles as Emporia State earned a 36-30 road win at Minot State. The senior linebacker from Osage City, Kan., also had two tackles for loss, including half a sack, and one forced fumble. The 17 tackles are the most by a Hornet since Gabe Cleveland had 19 against Northwest Missouri on August 31, 2017. Dating back to last season, Boss has recorded double-figure tackles and at least two tackles for loss in three straight games. 

 SPECIAL TEAMS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:  Bradley Thao, K, Central Oklahoma     
Bradley Thao had a high-scoring collegiate debut with the freshman kicker hitting a 32-yard field goal and all seven of his extra-point attempts as the Bronchos opened the season with a dominating 52-7 win over future NCAA Division II and Lone Star Conference member, Texas Wesleyan, in Fort Worth. Thao also kicked off for Central Oklahoma, averaging 61.6 yards per kick on seven kickoffs with just one touchback.
 
OTHER NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Te’Shaun Porter, RB, Northwest Missouri    
Northwest Missouri’s junior running back Te'Shaun Porter rushed for 100 yards and scored three touchdowns while leading the Bearcats to a 48-3 road win over Texas A&M-Kingsville to open the 2026 season. Porter, a junior from Omaha, Neb., carried the ball 16 times and averaged 6.3 yards per carry, scoring touchdowns on runs of one yard, nine yards and one yard. It is the second 100-yard rushing game of Porter's collegiate career.
 
Jackson Torry, DB, Northwest Missouri    
Sophomore defensive back Jackson Torry set the tone for Northwest Missouri’s 45-point road win when he picked off a first-quarter pass and returned it 94 yards for a touchdown, giving the Bearcats a 7-0 lead at Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Bearcat defense limited the Javelinas to only 179 total yards (80 rushing, 99 passing) and 10 first downs. It was Torry's first career interception and touchdown as a Bearcat. His 94-yard return ranks as the second-longest interception return for a touchdown in the nation this season and is the longest return for a score in the MIAA.

Eli Moulton, DB, Fort Hays State    
Eli Moulton recorded a fumble recovery and interception in Fort Hays State’s 35-14 season-opening win at [RV] Angelo State. Moulton first recovered a fumble that set up a touchdown drive that would put the Tigers up 21-7 early in the third quarter. Late in the fourth quarter with Angelo State on the verge of scoring, Moulton sealed the game with an interception in the end zone.
 
Reese Roller, LB, Central Oklahoma
Reese Roller led a dominating performance by the Bronchos defense in Central Oklahoma’s 59-7 blowout win at Texas Wesleyan in Fort Worth. Roller had seven tackles, three tackles for a loss, and one sack against the future NCAA Division II and Lone Star Conference member. Roller also added two quarterback hurries and forced a fumble that his teammate, Bryant Coley, returned for a touchdown. Overall, Roller and the Bronchos defense held Texas Wesleyan to 4-for-14 on third down and forced nine punts by the Rams. 
 
Peyton Hatfield, KR, Missouri Western
True freshman Peyton Hatfield provided a spark on special teams in Missouri Western’s 63-58 loss to No. 20 Augustana, returning a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to pull the Griffons within 48-42 with 7:29 remaining in the third quarter. Hatfield ended his first collegiate game with 219 all-purpose yards, including 142 kickoff return yards and 77 receiving yards. He accounted for two touchdowns in his Griffon debut, scoring once on the 98-yard kickoff return and once through the air.

ALSO NOMINATED:
OFFENSE – Jett Huff [Central Oklahoma], Isaiah Green [Missouri Southern], DJ Brown [Central Missouri], Camden Crooks [Emporia State], AG Floyd [Fort Hays State], Logan Madden [Washburn]
DEFENSE – Caleb Kinkaid [Nebraska Kearney], Noah Conner [Missouri Southern], Brody Hayes [Washburn]
SPECIAL TEAMS – Josiah Young [Pittsburg State], Logan Russell [Fort Hays State], Jordan Cartwright [Emporia State], Mitchell Cory [Missouri Southern], Kaden Kiernan [Nebraska Kearney]

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WEEK ONE:
Offensive – Isaiah Tate, Missouri Western
Defensive – Landon Boss, Emporia State
Special Teams – Bradley Theo, Central Oklahoma