September 20, 2007

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . A trio of Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) football players have been recognized by a pair of national publications for their efforts on the field during the week ending September 16, 2007. Loras College running back/kick returner Alex McGrew (Van Horne, Iowa/Benton Community) was recognized by Don Hansen's National Football Gazette as one of nine NCAA Division III National Players of the Week, while Coe College defensive back/wide receiver/return specialist Tom Breitbach (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) and Central College punter Kurtis Brondyke (Clinton, Iowa/Clinton) have been recognized as part of D3football.com's Team of the Week.

McGrew, a junior who also received IIAC Football Player of the Week honors, carried the ball 30 times for a career-high 184 yards and two touchdowns (19 yards, 2 yards) on Saturday in the Duhawks IIAC opener at Cornell. McGrew also added 151 yards in the return game in six attempts (25.1 avg), allowing the Duhawks to have an average starting field position of their own 39 yard line. He also accounted for ten of the nineteen Loras first downs. Loras won the game 30-20, handing Cornell their first loss of 2007.

Breitbach, a junior, tallied nine tackles (five solo), three tackles for a loss, and two pass deflections in the Kohawks’ 20-10 win over Simpson. Also contributing on the offensive side of the ball, Breitbach caught four passes for 105 yards, including two for touchdowns. Both touchdown receptions were over 30 yards. He also returned the opening kickoff of the game 40 yards, tallying 73 all-purpose yards in the first 2:47 of the game, including a 33-yard touchdown grab on fourth down to conclude the Kohawks' opening drive of the game.

Brondyke, a freshman, was instrumental in Central holding off Luther 44-36. He had three punts downed inside the 5-yard line, including two that were downed inside the 1-yard line. None of his eight punts were returned for positive yardage, with Luther finishing with minus 17 punt return yards for the day.

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