DANBURY, Conn. -- Senior Kalyn Smithson (Vilseck, Germany) has been recognized by the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) as the Defensive Player of the Week after helping Mount Ida to their third Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) win of the season.
Smithson, who was already recognized as the ECFC Defensive Player of the Week this week, was a lightning rod of the Mustang defense who held the Bison to just six points. He forced a pair of fumbles which led to all ten of Mount Ida's points, while also collecting eight tackles in the win.
In the first quarter, he knocked the ball loose deep in Gallaudet territory and Jovan Wilkins (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) recovered, leading to a Tyler Rodgers (Bridgewater, Mass.) field goal, which gave the Mustangs a 3-0 lead.
Late in the third quarter, with the Bison on the Mount Ida one-yard line, Smithson again forced a fumble to stop a potential go-ahead score. This time, he recovered the ball himself and dashed 50 yards into Gallaudet territory.
The ensuing possesion ended in a game-winning touchdown pass from Jawad Yatim (Shrewsbury, Mass.) to Matt Greenman (Portsmouth, R.I.).
Smithson is the third Mustang to earn an award from the ECAC, following Jaleel Battle (Buffalo, N.Y.), who was named ECAC Rookie of the Week in the opening week of the season, and Tyler Rodgers (Bridgewater, Mass.), who collected ECAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors with his fake field goal score against SUNY Maritime.
The Mustangs (3-4, 3-1 ECFC) will return home this Saturday afternoon to host Becker at 1:00 pm at Alumni Field.