Index of Sports Press Releases

Oct. 13, 2008

NAIA honors Dakota Wesleyan’s Adolph

DWU cornerback Eric Adolph (4) was named the NAIA National Football Defensive Player-of-the-Week Monday. (Photo by Christian Begeman)

MITCHELL, S.D. – It’s been quite a three-day stretch for Dakota Wesleyan University football player Eric Adolph.

Saturday, the senior cornerback tied a school record with three interceptions in the Tigers’ 14-7 homecoming win over Doane College. Late Sunday, he was named the Great Plains Athletic Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Week. And Monday afternoon Adolph received an even bigger honor when he was named the NAIA National Football Defensive Player-of-the-Week.

In addition to his three interceptions, Adolph also had three tackles (one solo) and a pass break-up. This marks the first time a DWU player has received a national Player-of-the-Week award since Tiger punter Nick Tolsma was honored as a freshman in 2006 by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette.

“It’s huge,” DWU head coach Brad Pole said of the honor. “We’re very proud of Eric Adolph, the Flandreau (S.D.) native. We could see it building over the last four years –he’s been an outstanding player for us.”

Eric Adolph

Adolph’s record-tying interceptions were a big reason the Tigers were able to hold on and win the one-score game Saturday. His second and third picks came inside the DWU five-yard-ling as the Tigers clung to a 7-0 in the fourth quarter.

On both plays, Doane tried to run a deep fade route to the front-corner of the end zone, hoping their tall receivers could out-run or out-jump Adolph (5-9) to the ball. However, the senior ran step-for-step with the receiver each time and beat him to the ball for the game-changing interceptions. Adolph’s final pick set up the winning score as DWU marched the length of the field in just three plays.

Saturday was Adolph’s second career multi-interception game. Last season he intercepted a pair of passes at the University of Sioux Falls, the nation’s No. 1 team at the time. The senior has a total of four interceptions this season – the first he returned 40 yards for a touchdown in a 27-7 win over Nebraska Wesleyan.

Adolph is currently second in the league and tied for fifth nationally with four interceptions, and he’s tied for eighth in the conference in passes defended per game. Adolph also has 10 solo tackles, 12 assists and a tackle-for-a-loss this season.

The GPAC took two of the three national honors, with Morningside College quarterback Ian Gilworth receiving the NAIA National Football Offensive Player-of-the-Week award for his seven-touchdown performance. Bethel College (Kan.) kicker Branden Dragomir earned NAIA National Football Special Teams Player-of-the-Week honors after kicking a 52-yard field goal and five PATs on Saturday.

The other defensive nominees for the NAIA’s weekly award were: Darnell Brown, Langston (Okla.); Cedric Fisher, Lambuth (Tenn.); Paul Carter, Saint Francis (Ind.); Clayton Noberg, St. Francis (Ill.); Drew Baier, Jamestown (N.D.); Fielding Brenner, Ottawa (Kan.); Brandon Gould, Lindenwood (Mo.); Damario Watson, Southern Oregon; and Paul Klaboe, Montana Tech.

DWU Receives Votes

Dakota Wesleyan University football received more national attention Monday by receiving seven votes in the latest installment of the NAIA Football Top 25 Coaches’ Poll. This is the fourth week the Tigers have received votes in the poll. Their point total is the third-highest among teams outside the Top 25, effectively ranking DWU No. 28 in the nation.

The GPAC had five teams receive votes in the poll this week, with three teams earning a Top 10 ranking. The University of Sioux Falls is ranked No. 2, Morningside is ranked No. 5 and Northwestern College is ranked No. 10. Midland Lutheran College, which was ranked No. 24 a week ago, also received one vote.