Football

McCullough, Girard & Fleming, Players of the Week, 10/18/26

Centennial Conference Football Players of the Week 

October 18

Offensive Player of the Week
Brendan McCullough, Sr., WR, Carnegie Mellon
Venetia, Pa. | Peters Township
McCullough earned Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after playing a huge factor in the Tartans' 41-6 win over Gettysburg Saturday afternoon. The senior tied his own school record for most receptions in a game with 12 and finished with 112 yards receiving and a touchdown. In the win, McCullough became the program's all-time career leader in receptions and now has 205 career receptions, passing the old mark of 194 held by John Prather (2014-17). McCullough ranks atop the Centennial in receptions (49), receiving yards (612) and receiving touchdowns (6) this season. 
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Ben Girard, Jr., LB, Muhlenberg
Oakhurst, N.Y. | Ocean Twp. 
Girard was one of the leaders of a record defensive effort that held McDaniel to 15 total yards and no offensive points in a 49-7 win. He recorded two sacks, one for a 16-yard loss and the other for a 13-yard loss on third down to thwart the Green Terror's deepest penetration into Muhlenberg territory. Girard also assisted on two tackles, one for a 1-yard loss and the other for no gain, and recovered a fumble at the 14-yard line to set up the Mules' third touchdown. The 15 total yards set a school record for fewest yards allowed in a game, breaking the previous mark of 59 set in 2000.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week
Michael Fleming, Sr., K, Franklin & Marshall 
Glen Head, N.Y. | North Shore 
Fleming collected Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time in the past three weeks after kicking a 51-yard field goal and was 2-for-2 on PATs to help the Diplomats to a 17-7 win against Dickinson in the battle for the Conestoga Wagon. Fleming's 51-yard field goal was marked just one yard shy of the school record originally set by Mark Slevin against Swarthmore in 1983, and is tied for the fourth-longest in Centennial Conference history. It marked just the ninth time in CC history that a kicker converted a field goal of at least 50 yards. He also becomes one of just three players in F&M program history to hit a field goal of at least 50 yards. He has now made 11 consecutive field goals, which is tied for the second-longest streak in CC history.
2026 Football Weekly Awards
Offensive Player of the Week 
Sept. 6 - Dane Sorensen, Dickinson
Sept. 13 - Brendan McCullough, Carnegie Mellon
Sept. 20 - Dane Sorensen, Dickinson
Oct. 4 - Dane Sorensen, Dickinson
Oct. 11 - Amari Dunn, Muhlenberg
Oct. 18 - Brendan McCullough, Carnegie Mellon

Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 6 - Andy Zigbuo, Ursinus
Sept. 13 - Nick Aravides, Franklin & Marshall 
Sept. 20 - Austin Hadley, Franklin & Marshall 
Oct. 4 - Joaquin Acuna, Dickinson
Oct. 11 - Robert Sturges, Carnegie Mellon 
Oct. 18 - Ben Girard, Muhlenberg

Special Teams Player of the Week
Sept. 6 - Christopher Short, Muhlenberg
Sept. 13 - Isaac Parks-Gill, Gettysburg 
Sept. 20 - Isaac Parks-Gill, Gettysburg 
Oct. 4 - Michael Fleming, Franklin & Marshall 
Oct. 11 - Jahmir Brown, Muhlenberg
Oct. 18 - Michael Fleming, Franklin & Marshall