Bohlken, Vandenburgh Named MVFC Players of the Week

ST. LOUIS – Punter JT Bohlken and linebacker Zeke Vandenburgh each had big roles in Illinois State's 17-10 overtime win over No. 13 Northern Iowa on Saturday. For their efforts, both have been honored by the Missouri Valley Football Conference with Bohlken earning MVFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors and Vandenburgh being named the MVFC Defensive Player of the Week on Sunday.

With the team's two honors this week, Redbirds have now earned MVFC weekly plaudits four times this season. 

In a defensive battle that featured 22 total punts combined by the Redbirds and the Panthers, Bohlken proved to be a huge weapon in the field position game for the 'Birds. The senior from Jefferson City, Missouri, punted 12 times for a career-high 516 yards (43 yards per punt), placed four punts inside the UNI 20-yard line and uncorked two over 50 yards on the day. The 516 yards set a new Hancock Stadium record for a Redbird player and were the most in an MVFC contest as well. Bohlken also picked up a crucial first down for the Redbirds on a fake punt, running 21 yards to move the chains.

Vandenburgh played the best game of his career when the Redbirds needed it the most to pick up their second-straight win over a ranked opponent. The junior from Freeport, Illinois, recorded a career-high 14 tackles, added two sacks and tallied a career-best 3.0 tackles-for-loss for the Redbirds. He took down UNI quarterback Theo Day twice in the contest and also added a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry in the contest, as the Redbirds recorded a season-high six sacks as a team. 

Illinois State heads to Grand Forks, North Dakota, to take on the North Dakota Fighting Hawks (4-5, 2-4 MVFC) for the first time in MVFC play. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Alerus Center.

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