After posting their first Great Midwest Athletic Conference victory of the season Saturday, the Kentucky Wesleyan football team had to players earn G-MAC Player of the Week honors. Landan Thomas brought home the title of Offensive Player of the Week, while Derek Barnes was named Special Teams Player of the Week.
Thomas exploded for 220 yards on six carries, threatening the single-game conference rushing record held by former Panther running back Josiah Israel (237 yards in 2016).
The freshman found the end zone three times Saturday, tying the single game record at Kentucky Wesleyan and becoming the eighth player since 2016 to score three rushing touchdowns across the conference. Two of the scores came from Panther territory, as Thomas went for runs of 51 and 58 yards.
Thomas ranks third in the conference this season in rushing while averaging 73.8 yards per game on 44 carries (6.7 yards per carry).
Barnes had a breakout performance by accumulating 330 all-purpose yards, a mark good for fourth-best in a single game in conference history. His 100-yard kickoff return midway through the fourth quarter proved to be the game-winning score. Barnes also caught three catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns. He led all G-MAC receivers in yardage for the week.
Barnes is now the league leader in all-purpose yardage with 259 yards on kick returns, 233 yards receiving and 121 yards on punt returns.
Wesleyan will try to add to their two-game win streak this weekend as they host Walsh University at 1 p.m. Saturday at Steele Stadium.
