DALLAS – After a big performance for New Mexico State in its win over Sam Houston, Aggies QB Diego Pavia was voted CUSA Offensive Player of the Week. UTEP DL Maurice Westmorelandtook home Defensive Player of the Week honors following a career-best performance with six tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks on Wednesday night in the Miners’ win at FIU. His teammate, P Joshua Sloan was named CUSA Special Teams Player of the Week after a productive night in Miami, which included a career-best 65-yard punt. The 2023 CUSA Players of the Week awards are presented by Blenders Eyewear and are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
Pavia became the first Aggie to record a 100-yard rushing game this season as he totaled 115 yards and a touchdown on the ground in the win over Sam Houston to go along with 286 yards and two touchdowns through the air, accounting for 401 of the Aggies 456 total yards. Pavia became the first Aggie to have over 400 yards of total offense since 2017. On the week, Pavia led CUSA in total offensive yards (401), passing yards (286) and was tied for the most passing touchdowns (two) in Week 7. He also recorded the longest rush of the week and second-longest pass completion of the week among CUSA players. His 115 rushing yards were the second-most among CUSA players on the week.
Westmoreland recorded career highs in sacks (2.5), tackles for loss (3.5) and total tackles (six), while also adding a quarterback hurry in UTEP’s 27-14 victory at FIU on Oct. 11. Westmoreland got to the Panthers’ quarterback during the second, third and fourth quarters in the win. Westmoreland, who didn’t record a sack last season, leads the team with 4.5 in 2023, while tying for the league lead. The Houston native also is tied for ninth in CUSA with 5.5 tackles for loss on the season. Westmoreland helped lead a defense that registered eight sacks on the night, the most for the Miners since the 2001 season.
Sloan booted four punts for 176 yards (an average of 44.0 yards per attempt), which included a career-long 65-yard punt in UTEP’s 27-14 win at FIU on Oct. 11. Sloan placed a pair inside the 20 in the win. Sloan ranks third in CUSA at 42.9 yards per punt and the Melbourne, Australia, native ranks fifth in the league with 32 total punts.
2023 WINNERS
Offensive Player of the Week
A28 – WR Smoke Harris, LA Tech
S4 – WR Kris Mitchell, FIU
S11 – RB Kejon Owens, FIU
S18 – QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
S25 – QB Kaidon Salter, Liberty
O2 – QB Logan Smothers, Jax State
O9 – WR Malachi Corley, WKU
O16 – QB Diego Pavia, New Mexico State
Defensive Player of the Week
A28 – S Jeremiah Harris, Jax State
S4 – LB JaQues Evans, WKU
S11 – LB Tyrice Knight, UTEP
S18 – LB Sam Brumfield, MTSU
S25 – DL Chris Hardie, Jax State
O2 – LB Bryson Washington, WKU
O9 – DL Chris Hardie, Jax State
O16 – DL Maurice Westmoreland, UTEP
Special Teams Player of the Week
A28 – P Jack Dawson, Jax State
S4 – K Lucas Carneiro, WKU
S11 – K Jacob Barnes, LA Tech
S18 – K Ethan Albertson, New Mexico State
S25 – P Jack Dawson, Jax State
O2 – PR Smoke Harris, LA Tech
O9 – P Max Morgan, Liberty
O16 – P Joshua Sloan, UTEP
-ConferenceUSA.com-
