Football Sweeps UAA Athlete of the Week Honors; Nik Patel Earns Defense AOW

St. Louis, Mo., September 12, 2011 – Washington University in St. Louis had four student-athletes earn University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week honors, as announced by the Association.

Sophomore defensive back Tate Byers, senior wide receiver Easton Knott and senior punter Austin Morman of the football team and sophomore back Nik Patel of the No. 7 ranked men’s soccer team each earned the honor.

Byers recorded seven solo tackles and an interception in the Bears’ 48-21 victory over Rhodes College on Saturday. He also recorded a tackle for loss and recovered an onside kick in the second quarter, which led to a touchdown to push the WUSTL lead to 21-7.

Knott hauled in three catches for 62 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over Rhodes. He had a pair of touchdown receptions in the first quarter (37 yards, nine yards), and a 16-yard TD catch in the second quarter as Washington U. jumped out to a commanding 35-7 lead at halftime.

Morman averaged 45 yards per punt and converted an onside kick in the victory against Rhodes. He had two of his three kicks land inside the 20-yard line, and had a season-long 58-yard punt in the third quarter that was downed at the 15-yard line. Morman also converted an onside kick in the second quarter, which led to a touchdown to put the Bears up 21-7.

Patel helped anchor a defense that picked up two road shutout victories last week. The Bears beat Principia College 1-0 on Sept. 6, in Elsah, Ill, limiting the Panthers to eight shots and just two on net. Washington U. followed that up with a 3-0 win at Rhodes College on Sept. 10, holding the Lynx to just a three shots and none on goal.