FRISCO, Texas – Following a standout performance in Saturday's 28-20 win over No. 16 Incarnate Word, McNeese defensive end Isaiah Chambers has been named this week's Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.

In addition, the Cowboys were named the FCS Team of the Week by Stats Perform for their impressive win over the Cardinals.
 
Chambers, a graduate student from Houston, tallied a career-high four of the Cowboys' 10 sacks in the game, the most for the Cowboys since recording a school record 12 sacks against Texas State in the 1998 season. Individually, it's the most since Chris Livings set a school record with five QB sacks versus Abilene Christian on October 6, 2018.
 
As a unit, Chambers and the defense held UIW to a season-low 20 points and just 33 net rushing yards, the lowest amount of rushing yards allowed by the McNeese defense this season.
 
With his four sacks, Chambers now has a league-leading 6.5 on the season which also ranks him 16^th in the FCS. He's recorded 13 sacks in 14 games as a Cowboy and is 2 ½ away from breaking into the school's career top 10 list.
 
Chambers and the Cowboys will be back in action on Saturday when they visit Southeastern who is led by reigning Walter Peyton Award winner, quarterback Cole Kelley, who was named this week's offensive player of the week while HBU's Tyson Thompson garnered special teams honors.
 
The weekly award is the first for Chambers this season and third in his McNeese career. It's also the sixth weekly selection for a Cowboy this season.
 
Southland weekly award winners are presented by GEICO and are nominated and voted upon by each school's sports information director. Voting for one's own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.
 
2021 Southland Football Players of the Week
Oct. 25 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Lindsey Scott Jr., NICH; Isaiah Chambers, MCN; Tyson Thompson, HBU
Oct. 18 – Taylor Grimes, UIW; Mason Kinsey, MCN; Mason Pierce, MCN
Oct. 11 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Alexis Ramos, SLU; Gage Larvadain, SLU.
Oct. 4 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Kordell Williams, McNeese; Brady Buell, HBU
Sept. 27 – Lindsey Scott Jr., NICH; Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW; Kevin Nguyen, UIW.
Sept. 20 – Cameron Ward, UIW; Corione Harris, McNeese; Mason Pierce, McNeese.
Sept. 13 – Dai'Jean Dixon, NICH; Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW; Austin Dunlap, SLU.
Sept. 7 – Cole Kelley, SLU; Ferlando Jordan, SLU; Brady Buell, HBU.