ATLANTA — The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced its Football Players of the Week on Tuesday, Oct. 27, honoring student-athletes for impressive performances in games played last week. Tavion Faulk (Edward Waters), Lawrence McConnell (Kentucky State), Zane Spires (Benedict) and Tylon Williams (Edward Waters) were recognized.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – ZANE SPIRES, BENEDICT COLLEGE
Punter/Kicker | So. | Gainesville, Fla.
Spires had a career day in Benedict's 29-8 victory over Albany State. Spires kicked a 53-yard field goal for Benedict's first points of the game. That was a career high and a Benedict school record. On the final play of the first half, Spires topped that mark with a 54-yard field goal to set another school record. In the third quarter, he added another long field goal, kicking a 48-yarder. He also made two of three extra-point attempts, with the miss due to a bad snap. Spires also handled kickoff duties, with seven kickoffs for an average of 55.3 yards, including three touchbacks.
 
In addition to being named the SIAC Special Teams Player of the Week, Spires was also named the Kicker of the Week by the Fred Mitchell Award. The annual Fred Mitchell Outstanding Place-Kicker Award (also known as the Fred Mitchell Award) is provided to the nation's top collegiate place-kicker among more than 750 FCS, Division II, III, NAIA and NJCAA football teams.
 
The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, the record-setting place-kicker, Wittenberg University Athletic Hall of Famer, author, philanthropist and Chicago Tribune sports columnist.