By: Cody Bush, Associate Commissioner

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Western Colorado University quarterback Josiah Roy, South Dakota Mines defensive back Lang Gappelberg, and Colorado State University Pueblo kicker Jackson Smith are the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference’s Week 5 Players of the Week, announced Monday.

Roy threw for five touchdowns, including four in the Mountaineers' 28-point outburst that took control of the game in a win at New Mexico Highlands.  Gappelberg had an interception as the Hardrockers’ defense scored five takeaways in a win at Fort Lewis.  Smith broke his own program-record for points scored by a kicker, booting home 17 points in the ThunderWolves win at Adams State.

CSU Pueblo and Western Colorado enter the league’s common bye week unbeaten with 6-0 overall records and 4-0 league marks. South Dakota Mines and Colorado School of Mines are tied for second at 3-1 in RMAC play, with both taking a three-game win streak into the break. All 10 RMAC teams are off in Week 6 and return to action with a full Week 7 slate on October 17.

Offensive

Josiah Roy, Western Colorado (5th Year, Quarterback, Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Roy threw for five touchdowns in Western Colorado’s 52-24 victory at New Mexico Highlands. He finished the day completing 16-of-25 passes for 227 yards.. Trailing 17-0 with 6:49 remaining in the first half, Roy connected on three touchdown passes before the half ended. He found DJ Allen Jr. for a 28-yard score to start the outburst, then found Ramon Ruiz for a 10-yard strike with 2:28 left, and then a 24-yard touchdown pass to Blake Kramer with 30 seconds remaining, giving WCU a 21-17 lead at the break. On the other side of halftime, he continued the run with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Kramer, pushing the lead to 28-17. He closed his day with a three-yard touchdown pass to Caden Measner to put the Mountaineers up 45-17 with 9:15 remaining.

Others Nominated: Max Minor, Adams State; Kade Weber, Black Hills State; Jaedon Matthews, CSU Pueblo; Camden Walker, Chadron State; Amari Brown, Colorado Mesa; Max Barnes, Colorado School of Mines; Solomon Latimer, Fort Lewis; Ashton Bradford, New Mexico Highlands; Dawson Dunbar, South Dakota Mines. 

Defensive

Lang Gappelberg, South Dakota Mines (Senior, Defensive Back, Fountain, Colorado)

Gappelberg led South Dakota Mines with six tackles (two solo), an interception, and a pass breakup in a 30-16 victory at Fort Lewis. His interception came on the second half’s opening drive, and his 25-yard return set up the Hardrockers’ offense at the Fort Lewis five-yard line, resulting in a touchdown and a 20-6 lead two plays later. Gappelberg’s breakup came on the game’s final play. Gappelberg and the South Dakota Mines defense forced five turnovers (three interceptions) and limited Fort Lewis to 302 yards on 60 plays, including 15 net rushing yards.

Others Nominated: Cameron Mitchell-Ochoa, Adams State; Jack Gentile, Black Hills State; Jaylen Booth, CSU Pueblo; Cooper Walton, Chadron State; O’Marius Dimry-Lockhard, Colorado Mesa; Joseph Gonzales, Colorado School of Mines; Samuel Ballas, Fort Lewis; Damon Mayberry, New Mexico Highlands; Kade Musser, Western Colorado.

Special Teams

Jackson Smith, CSU Pueblo (Senior, Kicker, Centennial, Colorado)

Smith scored 17 points, including a 50-yard field goal conversion, as CSU Pueblo beat Adams State 72-7. He converted all eight PATs and went 3-of-3 on field goals in the win. His three field goals went for 50, 48, and 25 yards, and he became the third RMAC kicker with a 50-yard field goal this season. The 17 kicking points broke his own school record set last season at Black Hills State. He vaulted into the No. 2 spot in points scored by an RMAC kicker this season, with his 51 points trailing only Western Colorado’s JT Miller, who has 58 points.

Others Nominated: Jacob McGarvey, Adams State; Madden Aquino, Black Hills State; Triston Hite, Chadron State; Kale Purvis, Colorado Mesa; Lucas Schmitten, Fort Lewis; Daniel Estrada, New Mexico Highlands; Sam Eccles, South Dakota Mines.  

About the RMAC

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, headquartered in Colorado Springs, is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 institutions located in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, and Utah. The RMAC currently competes in 22 NCAA Division II sports and has earned 71 national championships. Founded in 1909, the RMAC is the most historic athletic conference in the western United States and Division II.

# EverythingElevated  #