LAKE CHARLES – McNeese senior running back Marcus McElroy, Jr. has been named this week's Southland Conference and Louisiana Offensive Player of the Week, it was announced on Monday.
 
McElroy came off the bench in Saturday's game at HCU and rolled up a career-high 136 yards on the ground while scoring two touchdowns. The Denver native who is playing his only season with the Cowboys, averaged 11.3 yards per carry in the game and had five of his 12 carries went for 10 or more yards with four of those going for 20 or more. His longest came on his first carry of the game which went for 30 yards.
 
For the season, McElroy has appeared in six games and has rushed for 174 yards, two touchdowns, and averaging 8.7 yards per carry while his 100-yard rushing game was the eighth for the Cowboys on the season (Deonta McMahon with six, McElroy and D'Angelo Durham with one each).
 
McElroy is the first Cowboy to receive a weekly conference award while being the third honored by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association, joining McMahon and kicker Garrison Smith.
 
Cowboy linebacker Amaud Willis-Dalton and kicker/punter Smith earned honorable mention honors for the weekly league awards.
 
Willis-Dalton recorded 10 tackles, a tackle for a loss, and intercepted a pass while returning it 35 yards to set up a touchdown against the Huskies. Smith punted for the Cowboys and averaged 40.3 yards per punt with a long of 59 yards.